How do scabies mites move? - briefly
The «scabies mites» crawl using six short legs that generate a sinusoidal gait across the epidermis. Their advance is limited to a few millimetres per day, propelled by the host’s skin moisture and temperature.
How do scabies mites move? - in detail
Scabies mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) achieve locomotion through six short, stout legs ending in claw‑like structures. Each leg contains a flexible coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus, allowing precise movements across the stratum corneum. Locomotor activity proceeds in distinct phases:
- Exploratory crawling – rapid, alternating leg strokes generate forward thrust; average speed approximates 0.5 mm min⁻¹.
- Burrowing – fore‑legs produce a digging motion, while posterior legs anchor the body; enzyme‑rich secretions soften keratin, facilitating tunnel formation.
- Attachment – specialized setae on the tarsal claws interlock with microscopic ridges of the host’s epidermis, preventing displacement.
Sensory input derives from mechanoreceptors on the legs and chemoreceptors on the gnathosoma, guiding the mite toward optimal microhabitats such as finger web spaces and the waistline. Muscular contraction within the thoracic segment coordinates leg beats, while a hydrostatic pressure system within the body cavity assists in expanding the burrow cavity.
Overall, locomotion combines mechanical leg action, enzymatic skin modification, and sensory feedback to enable efficient navigation and colonization of the human epidermis.