Detection, Prevalence and Phylogenetic Relationships of <i>Demodex</i> spp and further Skin Prostigmata Mites (Acari, Arachnida) in Wild and Domestic Mammals

<div><p>This study was conceived to detect skin mites in social mammals through real-time qPCR, and to estimate taxonomic <i>Demodex</i> and further Prostigmata mite relationships in different host species by comparing sequences from two genes: mitochondrial <i>16S rRNA</i> and nuclear <i>18S rRNA</i>. We determined the mite prevalence in the hair follicles of marmots (13%) and bats (17%). The high prevalence found in marmots and bats by sampling only one site on the body may indicate that mites are common inhabitants of their skin. Since we found three different mites (<i>Neuchelacheles</i> sp, <i>Myobia</i> sp and <i>Penthaleus</i> sp) in three bat species (<i>Miotis yumanensis</i>, <i>Miotis californicus</i> and <i>Corynorhinus townsendii</i>) and two different mites (both inferred to be members of the Prostigmata order) in one marmot species (<i>Marmota flaviventris</i>), we tentatively concluded that these skin mites 1) cannot be assigned to the same genus based only on a common host, and 2) seem to evolve according to the specific habitat and/or specific hair and sebaceous gland of the mammalian host. Moreover, two <i>M</i>. <i>yumanensis</i> bats harbored identical <i>Neuchelacheles</i> mites, indicating the possibility of interspecific cross-infection within a colony. However, some skin mites species are less restricted by host species than previously thought. Specifically, <i>Demodex canis</i> seems to be more transmissible across species than other skin mites. <i>D</i>. <i>canis</i> have been found mostly in dogs but also in cats and captive bats. In addition, we report the first case of <i>D</i>. <i>canis</i> infestation in a domestic ferret (<i>Mustela putorius</i>). All these mammalian hosts are related to human activities, and <i>D</i>. <i>canis</i> evolution may be a consequence of this relationship. The monophyletic <i>Demodex</i> clade showing closely related dog and human <i>Demodex</i> sequences also supports this likely hypothesis.</p>