Sarcoptic mange in Iberian wolves (Canis

THE sarcoptic mange mite (Sarcoptes scabiei) can infest a wide range of domestic and wild mammal hosts. The disease is highly contagious by direct or indirect contact, so trans-mission is more common in social species. There have been well documented endemic and epidemic cases of mange in Spain in some species, mainly ungulates and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) (Gortazar and others 1998, León-Vizcaino and others 1999), but to the authors ’ knowledge there has been only poorly documented cases of mange in Iberian wolves (Canis lupus signatus). This short communication describes the recovery of mites from Iberian wolves with mange in Spain. Between February and March 2006, three wolves that had been hunted or killed on the roads showed alopecia and skin lesions, especially on the hindlimbs, at postmortem exami