Abstract
The Quichua porcupine (Coendou quichua) is a neotropical rodent with uncertain taxonomic and conservation status. Two Quichua porcupines with severe hyperkeratosis and alopecia were found in the Magdalena River Basin of Colombia. Sarcoptes scabiei, the mite causing mange, a disease carried mainly by domestic animals, was confirmed via parasitological and molecular methods. This is the first report of mange in neotropical porcupines to date. The population-level impact of mange in Coendou spp., related mammals and predators in Colombia might represent a threat and needs further investigation.
Highlights
The Quichua porcupine (Coendou quichua) is a neotropical rodent with uncertain taxonomic and conservation status
Mites from the genus Sarcoptes cause sarcoptic mange, a highly-contagious disease detected in various hosts ranging from humans, to domestic animals and wildlife (Bornstein et al, 2001)
Sarcoptes scabiei appears to be one highly diverse species according to microsatellite analyses (Arlian and Morgan, 2017)
Summary
The Quichua porcupine (Coendou quichua) is a neotropical rodent with uncertain taxonomic and conservation status. Mites from the genus Sarcoptes (species scabiei) cause sarcoptic mange, a highly-contagious disease detected in various hosts ranging from humans, to domestic animals and wildlife (Bornstein et al, 2001). It is thought that cases of wildlife mange are the result of an infection by a single highly variable species displaying physiological specificity across many hosts (Pence et al, 1975).
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