Otodectes

{{Short description|Genus of mites}}

{{speciesbox

| image = Otodectes-mite.jpg

| image_caption = Otodectes ear mite

| taxon = Otodectes cynotis

| authority = Hering, 1838

}}

Otodectes is a genus of parasitic mite in the superfamily Psoroptidae (the biting cohort of the Sarcoptiformes order of mites). There is a single species of mite in this genus, Otodectes cynotis.{{cite book|last1=Taylor|first1=M.A.|last2=Coop|first2=R.L.|last3=Wall|first3=R.L.|title=Veterinary parasitology|date=2016|publisher=Wiley Blackwell|isbn=978-0-470-67162-7|pages=224–225|edition=4th}} This mite is within the class Arachnida and subclass Acari for mites and ticks. Otodectes are external parasites (ectoparasites) of dogs, cats and ferrets,{{cite book|last1=Hendrix|first1=Charles M.|last2=Robinson|first2=Ed|title=Diagnostic Parasitology for Veterinary Technicians|date=2012|publisher=Elsevier Mosby|isbn=9780323291255|page=240|edition=4th|chapter=Otodectes cynotis (Ear mites)}} but can be found on many other mammals.{{Cite web|title=VetFolio|url=https://www.vetfolio.com/learn/article/parasites-in-small-mammals|access-date=2021-01-17|website=www.vetfolio.com}} Otodectes is found worldwide.{{cite book|last1=Bowman|first1=Dwight D.|last2=Hendrix|first2=Charles M.|last3=Lindsay|first3=David S.|last4=Barr|first4=Stephen C.|title=Feline Clinical Parasitology|date=2002|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=Hoboken|isbn=9780470376591|pages=389–390|chapter=Otodectes cynotis}}

The mite is {{cvt|0.4|mm}} in size, approximately the size of a grain of salt, and can be seen with the naked eye.{{cite book|last1=Bassert|first1=Joanna M.|last2=Beal|first2=Angela D.|last3=Samples|first3=Oreta M.|title=McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians|date=2018|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9780323496407|page=428|edition=9th|chapter=Otodectes cynotis}} It lives in the external ear canal of its host, and causes intense irritation leading to otitis externa.

The lifecycle of O. cynotis takes approximately three weeks.

Otodectes cynotis is typically spread by direct contact with infected species and does not have evidence of living in the environment for transmission.{{Cite journal|last1=Lefkaditis|first1=M. A.|last2=Koukeri|first2=S. E.|last3=Mihalca|first3=A. D.|date=2009-08-26|title=Prevalence and intensity of Otodectes cynotis in kittens from Thessaloniki area, Greece|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304401709002556|journal=Veterinary Parasitology|series=Special Section: EVPC 2008: Veterinary parasitology and climate change|language=en|volume=163|issue=4|pages=374–375|doi=10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.04.027|pmid=19520513 |issn=0304-4017|url-access=subscription}}