Helminth eggs from early cretaceous faeces

Abstract

The exceptional fossil site of Las Hoyas (upper Barremian, Cuenca, Spain) yields abundant small to medium vertebrate coprolites, hindering the search for parasites. We studied the contents of 29 coprolites that were previously classified into distinct morphotypes. Several parasitic eggs were retrieved from two of these coprolites, confirming the second record of digenea trematode eggs and nematode (ascaridid) eggs from an Early Cretaceous locality. The cylindrical coprolite containing anisakid eggs was likely produced by a crocodylomorph as the parasite host, whereas the bump-headed lace coprolite indicates the role of a fish as an intermediary or definitive host of the trematodes and ascaridids. These trace and body fossils show that the Las Hoyas 126–129 Ma lacustrine ecosystem documents the early connection between basal Gonorynchiformes fish and digenetic trematodes.

First discovery of parasite eggs in a vertebrate coprolite of the Late Triassic in Thailand

“…The discovery of at least six parasites with at least five different morphotypes in a single coprolite suggests that multi-parasite infection was common had already diversified by the late Triassic. The presence of the Ascaridida eggs and the evidence for multi-infection found in the coprolite can presumably be explained by the predatory habits of the host, which would have been parasitized by feeding on parasitized fishes, amphibians, or other reptiles [ 3 , 4 , 18 ].…”

“…Several reports have described parasite eggs in coprolites [ 3 – 6 , 8 , 18 ]. The assignment of coprolites to a specific host is challenging, but their different shapes can provide systematic information [ 20 , 21 ].…”

“…Although specialized parasites producing traces in hard tissues have sometimes been partly identified [10][11][12][13][14][15][16], other parasites have a very poor fossil record because the soft tissues of the host in which they occur are rarely preserved, except in exceptional conditions such as in amber [10,11]. Another important source of parasite remains are coprolites, i.e., fossilized faecal material, which can shed light on trophic chains [4,8,[17][18][19].…”

“…The assignment of coprolites to a specific host is challenging, but their different shapes can provide systematic information [20,21]. The insights into parasite-host interactions derived from these discoveries allow a better understanding of palaeo-coevolution and palaeo-ecosystems [6,[17][18][19].…”

The Large American Liver Fluke (Fascioloides magna): A Survivor’s Journey through a Constantly Changing World

“…It is hypothesised that, before adaptation to vertebrate hosts, these trematodes parasitised molluscs [13]. Some excavations revealed that Digenean trematodes can be found in dinosaur coprolites and mollusc fossils from the Upper (Late) [17] and Lower (Early) [18,19] Cretaceus periods; nevertheless, Cretaceous-Paleogene Mass Extinction (KPgME) around 66 million years ago (MYA) swept away most host species with their parasites [16].…”