An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes

In 2007, the first Icelandic Arctic fox with purple mandibles was discovered. The discolouration reappeared in 2013 and each subsequent year until and including 2018. This thesis is the first investigation of purple mandibles in Icelandic Arctic foxes. Hunter or latter mandible handling and storage...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Julian Egon Ohl 1990-
Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37123
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author Julian Egon Ohl 1990-
author2 Háskóli Íslands
author_facet Julian Egon Ohl 1990-
author_sort Julian Egon Ohl 1990-
collection Skemman (Iceland)
description In 2007, the first Icelandic Arctic fox with purple mandibles was discovered. The discolouration reappeared in 2013 and each subsequent year until and including 2018. This thesis is the first investigation of purple mandibles in Icelandic Arctic foxes. Hunter or latter mandible handling and storage were not related to the discolouration. Discolouration colour and intensity were quantified creating a baseline for identification of purple mandibles. Finally, spatial, and temporal distribution of the discolouration were mapped. Initially, the discolouration was quantified using digital photography for colourimetry. The dimensions a* and Gnormalized from the L*a*b* and sRGB colour spaces were found to be the most suitable measures of discolouration. Foxes with purple bones derive most of their diet from the ocean. Most purple bones originated from the Westfjords of Iceland; predominantly in the Súðavíkurhreppur municipality. The definitive cause was not investigated. Nevertheless, three potential causes of discolouration are postulated and discussed: (1) environmental pollutants, (2) alga pigments from the Drangajökull glacier that enter the food chain, and (3) sea mussel shell pigments. Further, this thesis suggests mussels would be the vector for transmission to foxes. As filter-feeders mussels accumulate pollutants and/or natural pigments from the environment and they are a secondary food source of Arctic foxes. The Arctic fox is a top predator, which means bioaccumulation of pollutants will be exacerbated and effects manifested earlier in this species. The abrupt occurrence, disappearance, reoccurrence, and location of purple mandibles suggests possible recent sporadic environmental events of variable duration occurring in the Westfjords.
format Thesis
genre Arctic Fox
Arctic
Drangajökull
glacier
heimskautarefur
Iceland
genre_facet Arctic Fox
Arctic
Drangajökull
glacier
heimskautarefur
Iceland
geographic Arctic
Drangajökull
Súðavíkurhreppur
geographic_facet Arctic
Drangajökull
Súðavíkurhreppur
id ftskemman:oai:skemman.is:1946/37123
institution Open Polar
language English
long_lat ENVELOPE(-22.239,-22.239,66.164,66.164)
ENVELOPE(-22.826,-22.826,65.878,65.878)
op_collection_id ftskemman
op_relation http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37123
publishDate 2020
record_format openpolar
spelling ftskemman:oai:skemman.is:1946/37123 2025-01-16T20:00:46+00:00 An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes Julian Egon Ohl 1990- Háskóli Íslands 2020-10 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37123 en eng http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37123 Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði Heimskautarefur Dýrabein Thesis Master's 2020 ftskemman 2022-12-11T06:52:59Z In 2007, the first Icelandic Arctic fox with purple mandibles was discovered. The discolouration reappeared in 2013 and each subsequent year until and including 2018. This thesis is the first investigation of purple mandibles in Icelandic Arctic foxes. Hunter or latter mandible handling and storage were not related to the discolouration. Discolouration colour and intensity were quantified creating a baseline for identification of purple mandibles. Finally, spatial, and temporal distribution of the discolouration were mapped. Initially, the discolouration was quantified using digital photography for colourimetry. The dimensions a* and Gnormalized from the L*a*b* and sRGB colour spaces were found to be the most suitable measures of discolouration. Foxes with purple bones derive most of their diet from the ocean. Most purple bones originated from the Westfjords of Iceland; predominantly in the Súðavíkurhreppur municipality. The definitive cause was not investigated. Nevertheless, three potential causes of discolouration are postulated and discussed: (1) environmental pollutants, (2) alga pigments from the Drangajökull glacier that enter the food chain, and (3) sea mussel shell pigments. Further, this thesis suggests mussels would be the vector for transmission to foxes. As filter-feeders mussels accumulate pollutants and/or natural pigments from the environment and they are a secondary food source of Arctic foxes. The Arctic fox is a top predator, which means bioaccumulation of pollutants will be exacerbated and effects manifested earlier in this species. The abrupt occurrence, disappearance, reoccurrence, and location of purple mandibles suggests possible recent sporadic environmental events of variable duration occurring in the Westfjords. Thesis Arctic Fox Arctic Drangajökull glacier heimskautarefur Iceland Skemman (Iceland) Arctic Drangajökull ENVELOPE(-22.239,-22.239,66.164,66.164) Súðavíkurhreppur ENVELOPE(-22.826,-22.826,65.878,65.878)
spellingShingle Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði
Heimskautarefur
Dýrabein
Julian Egon Ohl 1990-
An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes
title An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes
title_full An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes
title_fullStr An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes
title_full_unstemmed An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes
title_short An Icelandic Mystery? The Occurrence of Purple Bones in Arctic Foxes
title_sort icelandic mystery? the occurrence of purple bones in arctic foxes
topic Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði
Heimskautarefur
Dýrabein
topic_facet Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði
Heimskautarefur
Dýrabein
url http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37123