Parasites and Disease gallery on Scorpion Fauna

[Nomadinexile]

Another great reference brought to you by Eric Ythier, co-author of the amazing
Scorpions of the World book.

:worship:

http://eycb.pagesperso-orange.fr/scorpions/Gennemis.htm

 

[Galapoheros]

I've seen that too. He is into it and knows a LOT more than I do about scorpions. I feel a little ridiculous having a tiny bit of doubt because of his experience but, before I'm convinced(I know lol, how dare I!), I need to see more info about Gamasida mites using invertebrates as a host, all I've found so far is that parasitic Gamasida mite sp are parasitic to mammals. I don't know a whole lot about it, but from what I've looked into so far and what makes sense to me is that the mites on the scorpions in his pics might be detritivore mites in the hypopus stage only hitchhiking and not being parasitic, like little Nomads haha. I just don't see, because of where the mites are placed, how they could penetrate the exo there. I haven't found anything yet, maybe somebody could help find info about Gamasida sp parasitizing other invertebrates, I haven't looked around very much so far.

Well I found a liiittle info but mostly mentions rats, obviously that's what is important to people, maybe he's one of a few interested in it, not a lot of info about it that I've come across.

 

[Nomadinexile]

Well Galo, you are much more experienced than I am. So I respect your opinions and thoughts. While my opinion counts little compared to either of you, I will state it anyway.

While some of the mites are on the exoskeleton, many more are located on soft areas around the eyes, chelicera, in between the tergites, at joints, etc.

When I look at those photos, I don't see hitchhikers. I see them feeding. There may be some moving from one soft part to another, or waiting their turn, but I don't see too many harmless pictures there. I would imagine there are records of deaths among the pictures.

I could be totally wrong though. It's really conjecture on my part. I'd be interested to find out though.

I wish I had a SLR and could take pictures of wild ones in different places etc.
Though I haven't seen a mite on any that I caught.

 

[Galapoheros]

Oh not a whole lot of experience on my part, I've only been reading about them because I HATE THEM haha! Nahh, they're just doing their thing, but yes, it's better off without them over here ..imo! Just google "hypopus" and "mites" and maybe "Acarus". I think what you see there "feeding" are the same mite species walking around but they have gone into the hypopus stage, maybe not feeding but just ready for a long ride, like a turtle shell with suckers, it's pretty weird they can do this. A lot of info to find on the net about that, here are just a few points I came across.

http://www.be.sgs.com/fumigationnew...cus_on_grain_mite_newletter_fumigation_be.htm

"At some time during the juvenile period, grain mites may change into a stage known as the hypopus. During this unique stage that may exist for several months without feeding, the body wall hardens and the hypopus appears to be more tolerant of insecticides and fumigation. They are the primary stage responsible for resurgences in mite populations after chemical control. The "hypopus" does not move much under its own power but is transported from place to place by clinging to small animal forms such as insects or mice or by air currents. They have been known to survive for at least seven months in dry flour and can withstand lower temperatures than the active form. When the hypopus encounters favorable conditions, it sheds its skin and resumes normal growth and development. The peculiar adaptation makes it very difficult to eradicate this mite."

"The deutonymph ("hypopus") in mites of the Astigmata is biologically very interesting. It distinctly differs from other stages by: having no functional mouthparts, having a strongly sclerotized cuticle and being the phoretic stage of most free living species."

"In ecology, commensalism is a class of relationship between two organisms where one organism benefits but the other is unaffected."

 

[Nomadinexile]

Hey Gala,

That is all very interesting. Unfortunately my plate is full right now. I'm trying to learn more about id'ing scorpions correctly, distribution and descriptions of Mexican species; and trying to learn spanish, and fluorescent mineral locations that are available to mine in. :wall:

I've got one month or so to learn all three functionally, then I will be off. I will have to leave the Parasites and Disease research behind for now. Maybe you can script an experiment and next time someone comes on talking about mites, you can offer them the experiment to document it. This would be especially good if someone had access to a university lab with microscopes etc.

With all the scorpions I have had, I thought I saw one predatory mite once. I about had a heart attack. It would be good if we could learn more about them. We could save someone chest pain, and maybe a collection sometime.

 

[cacoseraph]

see.. this is why i get a little upset when ppl let stuff go back into nature


there really are TONS of pathogens out there. some are easy to see that *something* is wrong... but a lot are not!


awesome stuff Eric!

 

[Miss Bianca]

Thank you Normandiexile for posting. Very interesting gallery.
Also, I'd say there were definite deaths in these studies.
I'm sure it's in the interest of researching and documentation.

 

[Nomadinexile]

Thank you Miss Bianca. But I did nothing but post the link. All the thanks here should go to Eric!

 

[Miss Bianca]

Thank you Miss Bianca. But I did nothing but post the link. All the thanks here should go to Eric!

Only the first 2 sentences were meant for you.
Perhaps I should have multi-quoted.
Also, agreed all the thanks should go to Eric!

 

[Irene B. Smithi]

Another great reference brought to you by Eric Ythier, co-author of the amazing
Scorpions of the World book.

:worship:

http://eycb.pagesperso-orange.fr/scorpions/Gennemis.htm

Another one to add to the bookmarks on my computer!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!

Okay, a dumb question: The Grosphus limbatus juvenile (Madagascar) has what looks like a lifted part of a molt with the parasites under it... so do they crawl under the old exoskeleton and get to the new soft exoskeleton while it's soft?? Does that make any sense?

 

[H. laoticus]

I'd be interested in seeing studies on pathologies we can't see. As mentioned in the other thread under "Help!" the OP has a similar problem I have with my scorpion in which it can't extend its pedipalps or open its chelae. I have to "force feed" him by shoving a cricket through the small opening of a chela so he can get a hold of it and then pushing it further to reach his chelicerae so he can eat. Anyone ever experience this?

 

[telow]

Another one to add to the bookmarks on my computer!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!

Okay, a dumb question: The Grosphus limbatus juvenile (Madagascar) has what looks like a lifted part of a molt with the parasites under it... so do they crawl under the old exoskeleton and get to the new soft exoskeleton while it's soft?? Does that make any sense?

some mites will do that i believe

 

[Nomadinexile]

Okay, a dumb question: The Grosphus limbatus juvenile (Madagascar) has what looks like a lifted part of a molt with the parasites under it... so do they crawl under the old exoskeleton and get to the new soft exoskeleton while it's soft?? Does that make any sense?

1. There's no dumb questions about a poorly understood arachnid on a hobbyist website. 2. They can crawl and they like (or can only feed on?) soft tissue.

So it makes perfect sense to me. I don't think mites can live under the exoskeleton, or inside the scorpion. So they probably just move pastures during a molt.

I'd be interested in seeing studies on pathologies we can't see. As mentioned in the other thread under "Help!" the OP has a similar problem I have with my scorpion in which it can't extend its pedipalps or open its chelae. I have to "force feed" him by shoving a cricket through the small opening of a chela so he can get a hold of it and then pushing it further to reach his chelicerae so he can eat. Anyone ever experience this?

Not that I would be in the know, but I haven't heard of any. Well, apparently there was a guy a while ago doing his own research I think, but I don't know if he published anything. You should ask Harlock about that.

I haven't experienced that. How old is your scorpion? Is it an adult? Maybe an old adult? If not, there's something going on there obviously.

 

[Galapoheros]

It sure doesn't hurt to be careful. I'm speculating, I think it's good we have to start somewhere. I think "most of the time", the mites we see on our inverts are a kind of grain mite. They eat grains, rotting fruits and vegetables, and dead invertebrate parts. Then when their food runs out(rotting things), they crawl on inverts and other animals and go into a stage called the hypopus stage where they stick on with suckers, other info says possibly a glue-like substance. And from my observations and heavy speculation, whether parasitic or not I am thinking they instinctively crawl off old exuvia and on to the invert that molted, because they need the transportation. What I plan on doing is taking a pic of some mites over here when I find them that would look like "parasitic mites" to almost all of us that aren't professionals when it comes to mites. Then I will try to find a lab to send them to for a professional ID. I know there are a large number of species, but the apparent common problematic mites we tend to get in the hobby seems to come from the foods that are fed feeders from pet stores, I've seen 1000's of them in mealworm containers. The mites feed on the same food the feeders eat and crawl on the feeders. Orin mentioned in in one of his small books, I'm not plugging that book, this info is on the internet also. I'm just suggesting that people not panic if they see a mite on their invert and assume it's a parasitic mite. But even hypopus stage grain mites seem to be able to overwhelm an animal if there are too many of them.

 

[Ythier]

Thank you Miss Bianca. But I did nothing but post the link. All the thanks here should go to Eric!

Thanks guys, but the gallery is old. I need to update it and I have (unfortunately for my breeding!) more disease/parasitism photos to put!