Fur loss syndrome and lice infestations observed on Arctic foxes in central Nunavut, Canada

Abstract

As temperatures in the circumpolar north continue to warm, shifts in species distribution and the breakdown of environmental barriers for arthropods may impact the diversity and distribution of ectoparasites in Arctic ecosystems. In May 2019, fur loss over the neck and shoulders was observed on Arctic foxes in a terrestrial Arctic ecosystem (Karrak Lake) in central Nunavut, Canada. This was inconsistent with normal patterns of shedding winter fur and had not been observed on Arctic foxes in this population over the previous 19 years of live-trapping. Operculated eggs attached to hair shafts were collected from one affected fox. Conventional PCR using universal louse primers targeting conserved regions of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rDNA confirmed that the eggs belonged to the order Phthiraptera. Sequencing results were inconclusive at the species level. Further investigation revealed a single unpublished report of an Arctic fox with similar fur loss trapped on mainland Nunavut, in 1997. Adult lice collected from this fox were identified as sucking lice (potentially from the genus Linognathus). Our findings emphasize the need for further monitoring and have significant implications for trappers and wildlife management, as infestations negatively impact the pelt quality of these important furbearers.