VPA 221: Veterinary Entomology and Acarology (1+1)

DEMODICIDAE

Super Family : Demodicoidea

Family : Demodicidae

Host : Dogs, Cattle, Goat, Sheep, Swine, Wild animals, Rabbits, Hamsters, Rats,Mice etc., Uncommon in cats and horses.

• Highly specialized skin parasites
• Live in hair follicles and associated glands
• Very host specific
• Seen in hair follicle/ dermal glands-sebaceous glands modified sebaceous glands, e.g. meibomian, caudal, preputial and vulval glands
• Also seen in modified sweat glands,  submaxillary skin papillae and mixed sebaceous and sweat glands eg: perianal glands

Morphology 0.25 mm Female longer, elongate Cylindrical Body divided into head, thorax, and abdomen Head Has three jointed pedipalp One pair chelicerae Single hypostome Thorax Ventral side with four pairs of stumpy legs Each leg is three jointed, vulva in female on ventral side On the dorsal side in males there is a longitudinal slit which is the genital opening Abdomen Transversely striated