A New Family of Acarines Belonging to the Suborder Sarcoptiformes Parasitic in the Hair Follicles of Primates
June 1964
TLDR Two new mite species were found in a monkey's hair follicles, leading to a new genus and family proposal.
A study conducted by the Primate Research Foundation revealed two new species of sarcoptiform mites in the sinus-hair follicles of a squirrel monkey, Saimiri sciurea, from South America. These mites, found in the lip tissue of a deceased male monkey, led to the proposal of a new genus and family within the suborder Sarcoptiformes. The research, which involved histological analysis of monkeys maintained at the Hooper Foundation, indicated that mite infestation could cause follicle destruction due to secondary infection. The study focused on female mites, as no males were found, and further details on the host-parasite relationship will be published in a future report.