ANTIGENIC CHARACTERIZATION OF PSOROPTES SPP (ACARI, PSOROPTIDAE) MITES FROM DIFFERENT HOSTS

Immunoblotting with defined antigens and antisera revealed extensive and nearly complete antigenic cross-reactivity between Psoroptes spp. mites from a bighorn sheep, a mule deer, a cow, and a rabbit. Antigenic differences were not detected between mites from the sympatric bighorn sheep and mule deer. However, minor antigenic differences between mites from the cow and rabbit suggested that these mites were distinct from each other, as well as from the mites from the bighorn sheep and mule deer. These results are consistent with earlier morphologic studies of these populations of mites and provide additional support for the hypothesis that putative populations and/or species of Psoroptes mites may not be reproductively or ecologically isolated, particularly when their hosts are sympatric.