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A New Demodecidae Mite (Acariformes: Prostigmata) Parasitizing the Raccoon Procyon lotor (Carnivora: Procyonidae), an Invasive Species in Europe †
by
, ,
Joanna N. Izdebska
1,*,‡
,
Leszek Rolbiecki
1,‡
,
Katarzyna Faleńczyk-Koziróg
1 and 
Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
2
1
Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
2
Department of Forest Entomology and Pathology, University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71c, 60-625 Poznań, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F375306D-37E0-41B0-9030-C03ECF95BFE1.
‡
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Insects 2025, 16(12), 1218; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121218
Submission received: 7 November 2025
/
Revised: 24 November 2025
/
Accepted: 27 November 2025
/
Published: 28 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Insect Systematics, Phylogeny and Evolution)
Simple Summary
Mites from the Demodecidae family are specific skin parasites of mammals and typically accompany their hosts within their natural geographic range. Monitoring the occurrence of these parasites in mammals expanding into new areas is of particular interest. Currently, the raccoon, an American carnivoran considered an alien and invasive species in Europe, is under study. Demodex procyonis sp. nov. has been described in individuals from Poland and appears to be identical to an unknown species of demodecid mite found in this host in its native range in the USA. This confirms the possibility of maintaining the natural parasitofauna typical of the host, as well as the introduction and possible spread of parasites to new regions.
Abstract
The raccoon, Procyon lotor, is an alien species in Europe, where it is considered invasive and poses significant environmental and sanitary risks: it can increase the host reservoir by both introducing new parasites to the region and acquiring native ones. One permanent component of the mammalian parasitofauna is the Demodecidae, highly specific skin mites that often accompany their hosts in various regions of their range. To date, unidentified Demodex species have been found in raccoons within their native range. It has now become important to determine whether raccoons from invasive populations retain their specific parasites during range expansion and potentially spread them or whether they become colonized by other demodecid mites acquired from European mammals. The present analyses of three raccoons identified Demodex procyonis sp. nov. in the skin. This species is distinct from demodecid mites known from other mammals (including European species) but shows similarities in structure and location to mites found on raccoons in the United States. It is therefore likely to be a raccoon-specific species of Demodecidae and the first representative of this mite family described from the family Procyonidae.
Keywords:
biological invasions; Demodex procyonis; demodecid mite; infestation; mammals; parasites; procyonids
