Species Demodex ovis Railliet, 1895

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• Demodex folliculorum ovis Railliet, A. 1895. Traité de Zoologie Médicale et Agricole. Part I. Paris : Asselin et Houzeau.

Introduction

There appears to be some doubt about the identity of the species of Demodex that occurs on sheep in Australia. Desch (1986) reported a species identified as Demodex ovis Hirst, 1919, from sheep at Glebe, Australia. However Hirst (1919) did not describe D. ovis as a new species, but instead reported on Demodex canis var. ovis Railliet, 1895 (= Demodex folliculorum var. ovis Railliet, 1895). According to Domrow (1991), Demodex aries Desch, 1986 is a synonym of D. ovis Railliet, 1895, and the Australian species D. ovis sensu Desch is a different, undescribed species. Domrow (1991) concluded that all reports of D. ovis in Australia have been based on misidentifications, including those of Roberts (1952), Murray (1959), and Desch (1986). Bukva (1990) reported three species of Demodex from sheep, so the identity of the Demodex on sheep in Australia must be considered as unresolved.

General References

Bukva, V. 1990. Three species of the hair follicle mites (Acari: Demodicidae) parasitizing the sheep, Ovis aries L. Folia Parasitologica. Prague 37: 81–91

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

Hirst, S. 1919. Studies on Acari. The genus Demodex Owen. London : British Museum, Natural History Part 1 44 pp. 13 pls.

Murray, M.D. 1959. A clinical case of demodectic mange in a sheep. Australian Veterinary Journal 35: 93

Roberts, F.H.S. 1952. Insects Affecting Livestock, with special reference to important species occurring in Australia. Sydney : Angus & Robertson vi 267 pp.

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