Sarcocystis canadensisi n. sp. (Protozoa: Sarcocystidae) from limb muscles of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Authors: Dubey, Jitender; GUPTA, ADITYA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); HUMPAL, CAROLIN - Minnesota Department Of Natural Resources; CARSTENSEN, MICHELLE - Minnesota Department Of Natural Resources; Rosenthal, Benjamin

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/19/2026
Publication Date: 7/30/2026
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Gupta, A., Humpal, C., Carstensen, M., Rosenthal, B.M. 2026. Sarcocystis canadensisi n. sp. (Protozoa: Sarcocystidae) from limb muscles of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). Journal of Parasitology. 112(4):436-442. https://doi.org/10.1645/26-37.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1645/26-37

Interpretive Summary: Sarcocystis parasites occur widely across domestic and wildlife species, with several capable of causing significant illness. Humans can become infected through undercooked meat or exposure to environmentally resistant stages shed by predators. Historically considered host specific, these parasites are now recognized as capable of infecting multiple hosts. In this study, the team identified a previously undescribed Sarcocystis species in endangered Canada lynx, noting it matches sequences from parasites found in river otters, indicating a broader transmission cycle across North American wildlife. This is the first confirmed report of muscular sarcocysts in lynx and provides important new insight into parasite diversity in wild felids. The findings raise key ecological and management questions and will be relevant to researchers, wildlife managers, and conservation partners moving forward.

Technical Abstract: Most species of endotherms and some ectotherms harbor muscle cysts (sarcocysts) of 1 or more species of apicomplexan parasites in the genus Sarcocystis. We report a novel species discovered in the muscles of a Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). We found microscopic sarcocysts in limb muscles of 1 of 3 endangered Canada lynx from Minnesota. The sarcocyst wall was relatively thin (<2 µm) and had short, stubby protrusions with apical thickening. We characterized these further by sequencing the 18S, 28S, and ITS1 portions of nuclear ribosomal RNA genes. The sequences of each marker perfectly matched those of an undescribed species of Sarcocystis previously identified in the brains of river otters (Lontra canadensis) in Alberta, Canada. We propose Sarcocystis canadensis n. sp. for the parasite.