Sarcocystis canadensis n. sp. (Protozoa: Sarcocystidae) from Limb Muscles of the Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis)

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.