Family DEMODECIDAE Nicolet, 1855

Museums

Regional Maps

• Demodides Nicolet, H. 1855. Histoire naturelle des Acariens qui se trouvent aux environs de Paris. Archives du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris 7: 381-482 + plates 1-10 [original spelling].
• Demodicidae: Veal, R.A., Giesen, K.M.T. & Whitaker, J.O. 1984. A new species of the genus Ophthalmodex Lukoschus & Nutting 1979 (Prostigmata : Demodicidae) from Myotis lucifugus (Chiroptera : Vespertilionidae). Acarologia 25: 347-350 [subsequent misspelling].

Introduction

Mites in the family Demodecidae are parasites of mammals, and are normally found in the hair follicles of their hosts, but may also invade other tissues (Walter et al. 2009). Heavy infestations can cause severe mange and other skin conditions in both livestock and wild hosts (Mullen & OConnor 2009). Humans are host to two species of Demodex, which occur in hair follicles and sebaceous glands around the face, and are usually not pathogenic. The Australian fauna of Demodecidae includes three genera and 18 species, collected from the skin of marsupials, bats, livestock animals, domestic pets, and humans (catalogued by Domrow 1991). Lee & Southcott (1979) recorded an unidentified species in this family from Australia.

Desch (1986) and earlier authors recorded Demodex ovis Railliet, 1895 from sheep in Australia. However this record appears to based on a misidentification of some other undescribed species. See Domrow (1991) and the present listing of Demodex ovis for details of this problem.

The correct spelling of the name of this family is Demodecidae, based on the type genus Demodex.

General References

Desch, C.E. 1986. Demodex aries sp. nov., a sebaceous gland inhabitant of the sheep, Ovis aries, and a redescription of Demodex ovis Hirst, 1919. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 13: 367-375

Domrow, R. 1991. Acari Prostigmata (excluding Trombiculidae) parasitic on Australian vertebrates : an annotated checklist, keys and bibliography. Invertebrate Taxonomy 4: 1238-1376

Lee, D.C. & Southcott, R.V. 1979. Spiders and other Arachnids of South Australia. In South Australian Yearbook, 1979. South Australian Government Printer : Adelaide. 15 pp.

Mullen, G.R. & OConnor, B.M. 2009. Mites (Acari). pp. 433-492 in Mullen, G.R. & Durden, L.A. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Amsterdam : Elsevier 2.

Walter, D.E., Lindquist, E.E., Smith, I.M., Cook, D.R. & Krantz, G.W. 2009. Order Trombidiformes. pp. 233-420 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.

History of changes