Epidermoptidae is a family of
acariform mite
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods) of two large orders, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as eac ...
s. They live as
parasite
Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...
s on the skin of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...
s and
mammal
A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...
s. They thrive in warm, damp areas of the skin (several species are
nostril
A nostril (or naris , : nares ) is either of the two orifices of the nose. They enable the entry and exit of air and other gasses through the nasal cavities. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates ...
specialists).
Genera
The following genera are recognised in the family Epidermoptidae:
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Apocnemidocoptes''
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Archemyialges''
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Congocoptes''
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Epidermoptes''
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Evansacarus''
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Hemimyialges''
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Knemidokoptes
''Knemidokoptes'' is a genus of parasitic mites in the family Epidermoptidae that infect the skin or feather follicles of birds, especially gallinaceous birds (chickens, pheasants, and relatives) as well as parakeets and canaries. Infection co ...
''
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Metamicrolichus''
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Micnemidocoptes''
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Microlichus''
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Myialges''
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Neocnemidocoptes''
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Otocoptoides''
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Pelicanoptes''
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Picicnemidocoptes''
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Procnemidocoptes''
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Promyialges''
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Rallepidermoptes''
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Rhamphocoptes''
References
Epidermoptidae at BioLib
Sarcoptiformes
Acari families
{{Sarcoptiformes-stub