Ophionyssus natricis
Encyclopedia
Ophionyssus natricis or Reptile mite is a parasitic mite
most commonly found on snake
s, but also occurring on captive lizards, turtles, crocodiles and other reptiles. The parasites feed on snakes, which cause the bodies of the mites to be engorged with blood and fluids from the snake. Once the mites feed by puncturing through the snake skin, the snake usually shows symptoms of irritation and discomfort. Also this provides a point of entry where diseases from Aeromonas
spp. and Inclusion Body Disease
(IBD) can be transmitted. Mites have also been shown to act as vectors for IBD. The pathology for disease transmission by the mites is still unknown. Human infestation has been reported.
e are pale white. They either stay pale ivory or yellow if unfed in the protonymph stage. The mites will turn a dark red if feeding does occur. After feeding, the mites have a soft body that is dark red or black in color and noticeable legs that can be seen by the human eye during the deutonymph stage.
As adults, male mites are smaller than their female counterparts. The colors can range from dark yellowish-brown, dark red or black depending on the feeding of the mite onto the snake. Female adults, however, are big, fat, and black mites. They weigh 50 μg, but can weigh 750 μg if fully engorged from the blood meal.
Unfavorable conditions in the environment will cause impairment of development and survivorship at all stages of the mites. Mites are killed at all stages when exposed to temperatures above 105 °F (40.6 °C) or below 35 °F (1.7 °C) for several days. In terms of humidity, the mites will desiccate at levels below 20%. The mites will also drown if they are wet.
Females can lay a dozen or two eggs at a time (60 to 80 in a lifetime). The eggs are usually laid in dark and humid areas. They are rarely laid on the snake where the adult mites are found. Eggs will hatch in one day in ideal conditions.
After hatching, the young mites go through the larva
l stage, which takes about one or two days. The larvae tend to move very little away from the eggs, despite having the ability to walk.
The larvae progress next into the protonymph stage, which can last three days to two weeks. At this stage, the protonymphs become attracted to the smell of snakes and require a blood meal from the snakes to go into the next stage. The protonymphs will tend to walk around the scale surfaces and head plates of the snake.
The deutonymph stage then takes place after the blood meal at a place usually away from the snake. Shedding takes about a day to become adult mites. At the adult stage, the mites will continue to feed on the snake host until the males mate with female that is not engorged. Adult mites usually live up to 40 days.
s are not very useful when treating snakes for having snake mites. Insecticides are usually highly toxic to snakes so this treatment should not be used in the presence of snakes.
Use of the predatory mite Hypoaspis miles
is advocated by some herpetologists as a non-toxic means of eradicating a population of Ophionyssus natricis.
Mite
Mites, along with ticks, are small arthropods belonging to the subclass Acari and the class Arachnida. The scientific discipline devoted to the study of ticks and mites is called acarology.-Diversity and systematics:...
most commonly found on snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, but also occurring on captive lizards, turtles, crocodiles and other reptiles. The parasites feed on snakes, which cause the bodies of the mites to be engorged with blood and fluids from the snake. Once the mites feed by puncturing through the snake skin, the snake usually shows symptoms of irritation and discomfort. Also this provides a point of entry where diseases from Aeromonas
Aeromonas
Aeromonas is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic rod that morphologically resembles members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Fourteen species of Aeromonas have been described, most of which have been associated with human diseases. The most important pathogens are A. hydrophila, A. caviae, and...
spp. and Inclusion Body Disease
Inclusion Body Disease
Inclusion Body Disease in the boid family of snakes, particularly Boa constrictor, has been recognized since the mid 1970s. It is so named because of the characteristic intracytoplasmic inclusions which are observed in clinical examinations in epidermal cells, oral mucosal epithelial cells,...
(IBD) can be transmitted. Mites have also been shown to act as vectors for IBD. The pathology for disease transmission by the mites is still unknown. Human infestation has been reported.
Morphology
The larvaLarva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e are pale white. They either stay pale ivory or yellow if unfed in the protonymph stage. The mites will turn a dark red if feeding does occur. After feeding, the mites have a soft body that is dark red or black in color and noticeable legs that can be seen by the human eye during the deutonymph stage.
As adults, male mites are smaller than their female counterparts. The colors can range from dark yellowish-brown, dark red or black depending on the feeding of the mite onto the snake. Female adults, however, are big, fat, and black mites. They weigh 50 μg, but can weigh 750 μg if fully engorged from the blood meal.
Life cycle
There are five life stages for the snake mite: egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, and adult. The intermediate stages (larva, protonymph, and deutonymph) must shed at least once to progress into the next stage. The ideal conditions in the environment for the mite to fully develop into a parasite are at temperatures between 75–85 °F (23.9–29.4 C) and a relative humidity of 70%–90%. The life stages can be completed usually in 13 to 19 days.Unfavorable conditions in the environment will cause impairment of development and survivorship at all stages of the mites. Mites are killed at all stages when exposed to temperatures above 105 °F (40.6 °C) or below 35 °F (1.7 °C) for several days. In terms of humidity, the mites will desiccate at levels below 20%. The mites will also drown if they are wet.
Females can lay a dozen or two eggs at a time (60 to 80 in a lifetime). The eggs are usually laid in dark and humid areas. They are rarely laid on the snake where the adult mites are found. Eggs will hatch in one day in ideal conditions.
After hatching, the young mites go through the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
l stage, which takes about one or two days. The larvae tend to move very little away from the eggs, despite having the ability to walk.
The larvae progress next into the protonymph stage, which can last three days to two weeks. At this stage, the protonymphs become attracted to the smell of snakes and require a blood meal from the snakes to go into the next stage. The protonymphs will tend to walk around the scale surfaces and head plates of the snake.
The deutonymph stage then takes place after the blood meal at a place usually away from the snake. Shedding takes about a day to become adult mites. At the adult stage, the mites will continue to feed on the snake host until the males mate with female that is not engorged. Adult mites usually live up to 40 days.
Treatments
An infected snake can be soaked in soapy water for thirty minutes or covered with olive oil to help kill the mites. Ivermectin can also be used to get rid of the mites. For complete eradication, the environment must be treated properly as well. InsecticideInsecticide
An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against the eggs and larvae of insects respectively. Insecticides are used in agriculture, medicine, industry and the household. The use of insecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind...
s are not very useful when treating snakes for having snake mites. Insecticides are usually highly toxic to snakes so this treatment should not be used in the presence of snakes.
Use of the predatory mite Hypoaspis miles
Hypoaspis miles
Hypoaspis miles is a small light brown mite that lives in the top ½ in layer of soil. As a natural predator of fungus gnat pupae and snail parasite Riccardoella aspersa it is used by gardeners for biological pest control....
is advocated by some herpetologists as a non-toxic means of eradicating a population of Ophionyssus natricis.