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| ===Detection=== | | ===Detection=== |
− | The method of detection is a combination of the presence of clinical signs as well as identification of mites on a skin scrape or feather pluck. Not all of infections of ''Knemidocoptes'' mite result in clinical signs. | + | The method of detection is a combination of the presence of clinical signs as well as identification of mites on a skin scrape or feather pluck. Not all infections of ''Knemidocoptes'' mite result in clinical signs, some may lay dormant for until the animal is stressed or is otherwise immunocompromised. |
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| ===Life Cycle=== | | ===Life Cycle=== |
− | The entire life cycle takes place on a single host and takes between 14 and 21 days to complete. The mite is spread by close contact with an infected animal, however it can survive for a limited time off the host. <br/> | + | The entire life cycle takes place on a single host and takes between 14 and 21 days to complete. The mite is spread by close contact with an infected animal, however it can survive for a limited time off the host. Mating occurs on the host, a mature male will leave its moulting pocket and seek a female either on the skin or in a moulting pocket. The females are ovo-viviparous meaning that they give birth to live larval young. Once fertalised the female will create a burrow in the upper layers of the epidermis, the larvae will be laid in this burrow and move to the skin surface. |
− | '''Eggs'''<br/>
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− | Laid into the stratum corneum by the burrowing female.<br/>
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| '''Larvae'''<br/> | | '''Larvae'''<br/> |
− | Burrow into the skin and go through two nymphal stages before reaching maturity | + | ''Knemidocoptes'' mites have hexapod larvae.Burrow into the skin creating moulting pockets and undergo two nymphal stages before reaching maturity |
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| ===Important Species=== | | ===Important Species=== |