Human Scabies Mite

Scientific Name: Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis

Order & Family: Order: Sarcoptiformes; Family: Sarcoptidae

Size: 0.30 to 0.45 mm (females), 0.20 to 0.25 mm (males)

Human Scabies Mite

Natural Habitat

Human skin, specifically within the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis).

Diet & Feeding

Skin cells and extracellular fluid; they consume these as they burrow through the skin.

Behavior Patterns

Mites burrow into the host skin to lay eggs. They are highly contagious and spread through prolonged skin-to-skin contact. The life cycle from egg to adult takes approximately 10 to 14 days.

Risks & Benefits

Causes Scabies, characterized by intense itching and a pimple-like skin rash. Risks include secondary bacterial infections from scratching. There are no ecological benefits to humans; they are strictly parasitic.

Identified on: 5/21/2026