What does a hair mite look? - briefly
Hair mites are microscopic, elongated, translucent oval arthropods about 0.2–0.5 mm long, possessing six short legs and a gnathosoma near the front. They lack eyes and have a smooth, hair‑like appearance that blends with scalp hair.
What does a hair mite look? - in detail
Hair mites are microscopic arachnids measuring 0.2–0.4 mm in length. Their bodies consist of two main sections: a gnathosoma (mouthparts) and an idiosoma (main body). The idiosoma is oval, flattened laterally, and covered with a smooth, translucent cuticle that often appears pale yellow or off‑white under a light microscope.
Key morphological characteristics:
- Legs: Eight legs attached near the anterior margin; each leg ends in fine claws or setae that aid in grasping hair shafts.
- Eyes: Typically absent; some species possess simple eye spots, but these are not visible without high magnification.
- Mouthparts: Chelicerae are short and robust, adapted for piercing and feeding on sebum and skin debris.
- Setae: Fine sensory hairs line the dorsal surface, providing tactile information.
- Coloration: Generally colorless to light brown; pigmentation may increase after feeding, giving a slightly darker hue.
- Body segmentation: No distinct segmentation is visible; the body appears as a single, continuous unit.
When observed on a hair strand, mites align their bodies parallel to the shaft, creating a subtle, moving speckle that may be mistaken for lint. Under 100× magnification, the elongated shape and the arrangement of the eight legs become discernible, confirming identification.