The feeding behaviour of Psoroptes spp. mites on rabbits and sheep

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) study of the mouthparts of Psoroptes cuniculi from rabbits and P. ovis from sheep established that they are identical in morphology and are adapted for surface feeding rather than piercing the epidermis. Haemoglobin was found in both P. cuniculi and P. ovis on rabbits but not in P. ovis on sheep and it is concluded that the haemoglobin is derived from small haemorrhages on the surface of inflamed rabbit skin. This inflammation is caused by the deposition of antigenic material on the skin which is abraded by the mite mouthparts. The mites feed on the resulting exudate and on other surface material. An immunofluorescent assay revealed that the 2 mite species are antigenically similar.