Ear-parasite
Guides
Otobius megnini
spinose ear tick
Otobius megnini, commonly known as the spinose ear tick, is a soft-bodied tick in the family Argasidae. Only the larval and nymphal stages are parasitic, residing deep within the external ear canals of mammals. Adults are non-feeding and free-living. The species has a worldwide distribution and is a significant veterinary pest of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and dogs, causing otitis, irritation, and occasionally secondary complications such as muscle spasms or colic in horses.