A palaeoparasitological analysis of rodent coprolites from the Cueva Huenul 1 archaeological site in Patagonia (Argentina)

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the parasite fauna present in rodent coprolites collected from Cueva Huenul 1 (CH1), northern Neuquén (Patagonia, Argentina) (Mammalia, Rodentia, Caviomorpha, Chinchillidae). The life cycles of these parasites are discussed.Key words: palaeoparasitology -Patagonia -rodent coprolites -Viscachataenia quadrata -Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) viscaciaeThe relevance of rodents as hosts in parasite life cycles, including those of zoonotic importance, has been fully recognised (Miyazaki 1991, Perkins et al. 2005, Morand et al. 2006. During the past few years, several samples of rodent coprolites and remains of rodents found in regurgitated pellets collected from several archaeological sites in Patagonia, Argentina, were examined for parasites. These samples span the Late Quaternary period, from the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition to the Late Holocene. Positive results were obtained for the nematodes Trichuris sp., Capillaria spp, Calodium sp., Eucoleus sp., Echinocoleus sp., Trichosomoides sp., Pterygodermatites sp., Paraspidodera sp. and Heteroxynema sp. and for Monoecocestus sp. and one taeniid (cestodes) (Fugassa 2006a, b, Fugassa & Barberena 2006, Fugassa et al. 2007, Sardella & Fugassa 2009a, b, 2011, Sardella et al. 2010, Beltrame et al. 2011.Recently, new research was initiated at Cueva Huenul 1 (CH1) (36º56'45"S 69º47'32"W), northern Neuquén (Patagonia, Argentina) ( Fig. 1), an archaeological cave that provides a stratified sedimentary sequence ranging from the Late Pleistocene to the Late Holocene and in which well-preserved coprolites were found. The excavations provided a 1.4-m sequence composed of two sets The radiocarbon dates of these units range between 13.844 ± 75-11.841 ± 56 years BP. In contrast, the second stratigraphic set (units IV-I) has a lower abundance of organic matter, with predominant aeolian sedimentation and is dated between 9.531 ± 39-1.416 ± 37 years BP. The site presents evidence of a very brief, but redundant use of the cave by humans (Barberena et al. 2010) during different stages of the human settlement of northern Patagonia. This paper presents the first palaeoparasitological examination of the coprolites of CH1.The aim of the present study was to examine the parasite fauna present in rodent coprolites collected from CH1 and to identify the parasitic remains and the host origin of the faeces to assess the parasite life cycles and the importance of rodents in the area studied. In conjunction with other analyses currently in progress, this study will contribute to a palaeoecological reconstruction of Patagonian ecosystems through time. MAteRiAlS ANd MetHOdSTwenty rodent coprolites obtained from different units (II, V, VI and VII) of CH1 were examined for parasites. The coprolites were inventoried and processed individually (Fugassa 2006b). The examination, consisting of the external observation of the faeces, was conducted according to Chame (2003) and Jouy-Avantin (2003). Each coprolite was fully processed by rehydration in a 0.5% aqueous tri...

Perspectivas arqueológicas para Patagonia Septentrional: Sitio Cueva Huenul 1 (Provincia del Neuquén, Argentina)

“…Para la determinación anatómica se emplearon lineamientos estándar, priorizando la información ofrecida por el NISP (Grayson, 1984;Mengoni Goñalons, 1999). La excelente preservación de los materiales orgánicos permitió recuperar una gran cantidad de coprolitos asignados a diversos taxones, los cuales están siendo estudiados desde una perspectiva paleoparasitológica (Beltrame et al 2011(Beltrame et al , 2013. Se presenta una cuantificación por peso de la abundancia de coprolitos de carní-voros pequeños (i.e.…”

“…Tampoco se registra incidencia de marcas de raíces. Ambos indicadores son coherentes con la ubicación de la cuadrícula A1, en el sector profundo de la cueva y con un enterramiento relativamente rápido de los materiales, debido en gran parte a la acción de los humanos como agente sedimentario Hay una frecuencia mínima de marcas de roedor (0,7%) y carnívoros (0,3%) sobre los huesos, aunque hay otros indicadores de la presencia de estos agentes: se detectaron sedimentos removidos por la acción de animales fosoriales, en particular en el contacto entre las unidades del Holoceno temprano y las del Pleistoceno tardío, así como también abundantes coprolitos de carnívoro y roedor (Beltrame et al 2011). Las huellas antrópicas se registran en un 5,9% del conjunto total, aunque con diferencias entre los tres componentes.…”

Paleoparasitological study of rodent coprolites from “Los Altares” paleontological site, Patagonia, Argentina

“…was also present in rodent coprolites collected from Cueva Huenul 1 (CH1), northern Neuqu en (Patagonia, Argentina), an archaeological site that provides stratified sequences of archaeological and paleontological remains dating from the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Transition to the Late Holocene. The coprolites were tentatively assigned to L. viscacia (Beltrame et al, 2012). From CH1, other eggs with morphological features attributed to the genus Andrya or to Monoecocestus were also found (Beltrame et al, 2013).…”

“…Some of the larger samples and some of the smaller were attributed to Lagidium viscacia Molina 1782 (Caviomorpha: Chinchillidae), the "chinchill on" or "vizcacha serrana", based on the morphology, the size of the fecal material, and on the coproparasitological knowledge on similar coprolites previously examined (Beltrame et al, 2012(Beltrame et al, , 2013. The family Chinchillidae contains chinchillas, viscachas, and their fossil relatives, and is restricted to southern and western South America (Reig, 1986;Canevari and Vaccaro, 2007).…”

“…Antecedents of paleoparasitological studies carried out in rodent material recovered at archaeological sites from Patagonia revealed the presence of eggs of trichurids, capillariids, ascaridids, Heteroxynema viscaciae, Trichosomoides, Pterygodermatites, Paraspidodera uncinata (nematodes); and anoplocephalids and taeniid (cestodes) (Fugassa, 2006a,b;Fugassa and Barberena, 2006;Fugassa et al, 2007;Sardella and Fugassa, 2009a, b;Sardella et al, 2010;Beltrame et al, 2012Beltrame et al, , 2013.…”