Psoroptes Mites and Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus): Additional Notes from the San Bernardino Mountains, California

Abstract

Mites of the genus Psoroptes frequently infest bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in southwestern North America. Although based on a small sample (n = 15), evidence from the San Bernardino Mountains, California, previously suggested that mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) sympatric with bighorn sheep were not infested with Psoroptes mites and, thus, were not a likely source of mites occurring on bighorn sheep. We examined 34 additional mule deer that were sympatric with bighorn sheep and detected no clinical evidence of Psoroptes infestation, providing additional support for the conclusion of Singer et al. (1997) that mule deer are unlikely sources of mites infesting bighorn sheep in the San Bernardino Mountains.