Ingestion of Rabbit Erythrocytes Containing 51Cr-Labeled Hemoglobin by Psoroptes Spp. (Acari: Psoroptidae) that Originated on Cattle, Mountain Sheep, or Rabbits1

Abstract

Washed rabbit erythrocytes labeled with radioactive chromium in vitro were injected into 3 groups of 2 adult rabbits each. One group was heavily infested with the sheep scab mite, Psoroptes ovis; the 2nd group was infested with Psoroptes mite from Mexican Mountain Sheep, and the 3rd group was infested with the ear canker mite, P. cuniculi. After 36 h, mites and scabs were harvested and the radioactivity determined. At time of collections, mites from all groups had an average of 8.9 ± 2.0 μl of blood per 100 mg of mites. More than 70% of the consumed hemoglobin had been digested by the mites. The data suggest that the ingestion of whole blood is not specific to a particular mite species but may be common to Psoroptes mites when feeding on rabbit hosts.