Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei var. Hominis
Not-So-Fun Fact : Scabies, the condition caused by this organism, is an excruciatingly uncomfortable disease characterized by irritation, rash, and itching. Napoleon Bonaparte, a victim of the disease, was often so overcome with the itching that his soldiers would think that he had been wounded terribly in battle. In fact, he had been scratching at his terrible rash. Writing and researching this entry by itself is making me feel awfully itchy.
Domain :
Eukaryota
Kingdom :
Animalia
Phylum :
Arthropoda
Class : Arachnida
Family :
Sarcoptidae
Genus :
Sarcoptes
Species : S.
scabiei
Subspecies:
variant hominis
Description:
The organism responsible for scabies is a very small, fat, short-legged mite. A
scabies mite grows up to 0.45 millimeters, with its body vastly larger in
proportion to its minuscule head and stubby legs.
Environment:
The scabies mite spends its entire life either underneath or crawling along the
surface of its host’s skin.
Reproduction
& Development: The scabies mite reproduces sexually and lives for up to two
months. After mating just once, the female moves into the skin of its human
host and begins to lay eggs subcutaneously. Once her larvae hatch, they go
through a series of stages as a nymph in the upper layers of the host’s skin.
Once they reach their adult forms, the mites continue the mating cycle, with
pregnant females migrating along the outer surface of the host in order to find
a new dwelling.
Nutrition:
Scabies mites are parasites which feed on the blood of their host. This
particular variant feeds on the blood of humans. The rash and irritation
associated with scabies actually results from the presence of the mites
themselves, along with their excretions.
No comments:
Post a Comment