Paint it black: first record of melanism in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Variation in coat colour within mammal species is of enduring interest, likely because of its potential to be either adaptive or maladaptive. Coat colour in the genus Lynx tends to be stable, with little variation within species compared to that of other felids. Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) have coats that typically are silver grayish in winter and reddish brown in summer with dark spots, and black hairs on the tips of their tails and ears. A rare pallid colourmorph is occasionally observed, suggestive of partial albinism. Here, I report the first record of a melanistic Canada lynx. The individual was photographed during summer in the Yukon (Canada). It had a black coat containing whitish gray guard hairs throughout, as well as whitish gray hairs in the facial ruff and the rostrum and dorsal regions. There are only a small number of records of coat colour polymorphisms in the genus Lynx. The adaptive significance of melanism in lynx is unknown, but the loss of camouflage when hunting during winter is likely maladaptive.

Anomalous pigmentation in American primates: review and first record of a leucistic black howler monkey in southeast Mexico

Leucism is an aberration of color that occurs in individuals as a consequence of genetic mutations. Along with albinism and piebaldism, leucism is one of the most commonly reported types of chromatic anomalies in mammals, however, detailed descriptions of such conditions are rare. We report the first record of a leucistic black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra) in southern Mexico, an apparently healthy individual who was the male of a typical black howler group. Additionally, we compiled records of anomalous pigmentation in American primates published in peer-reviewed journals between 1960 and 2021, as well as social media posts regarding casual observations of individuals with such conditions. We found 11 scientific articles which described 13 records of anomalous pigmentation in a total of 44 individuals, from five species, three subspecies and one hybrid. Leucism was the most widely reported condition with six records. We discovered 19 online posts of 20 individuals with anomalous pigmentation, which included two species not reported in scientific literature. Our results suggest that anomalous coloration is not a significant threat to survival, but its occurrence raises interesting, and possibly alarming, questions about the causes of such conditions. We encourage researchers and civil society to formally report such observations of animals with color aberrations, to expand upon the understanding of this phenomenon and to get involved in the conservation of tropical forests.