Psoroptes is a genus of mites, including the agents that cause psoroptic mange.

Psoroptes
Psoroptes cuniculi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Sarcoptiformes
Family: Psoroptidae
Genus: Psoroptes
Gervais, 1841
Species:
P. equi
Binomial name
Psoroptes equi
(Hering, 1838)
Synonyms
  • Psoroptes cuniculi (Delafond, 1859)
  • Psoroptes ovis (Hering, 1838)
  • Psoroptes cervinus Ward, 1915
  • Psoroptes natalensis Hirst, 1919

Psoroptic mange

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Psoroptes on a rabbit ear crust

Psoroptes mites are responsible for causing psoroptic mange in various animals, leading to economic losses among farmers of cattle, sheep and goats.[1] It is also known as sheep scab and cattle scab.[1] The disease is highly infectious, and is transmitted via fenceposts and other structures that livestock use when scratching themselves.[1] The mites have mouthparts which do not pierce the skin, but are adapted to feeding on the surface, where the mites abrade the stratum corneum.[1] See Mites of livestock for photographs of infestations by Psoroptes.

Taxonomy

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Psoroptes has been traditionally considered to include five species living on different host species, but genetic analysis has reduced the genus to a single species, Psoroptes ovis.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Gary Mullen & Barry M. OConnor (2009). "Mites (Acari)". In Gary Mullen & Lance Durden (eds.). Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2nd ed.). Academic Press. pp. 423–482. ISBN 978-0-12-372500-4.
  2. ^ Iowa State University (2009). "Sheep scab" (PDF). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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