Vertebrate coprolites (fossil faeces): An underexplored Konservat-Lagerstätte

Qvarnström, Martin; Niedźwiedzki, Grzegorz; Žigaitė, Živilė

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.08.014

Cited by 58 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 115 publications

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“…However, it seems likely that the excrement masses were covered by microbial mats which are common in the sediments (Piñeiro et al, 2012b), essentially as suggested by Hu et al (2010). The role of bacteria in the fossilization of feces has already been discussed by some authors (Chin and Kirkland, 1998;Hollocher et al, 2001;Hollocher and Hollocher, 2012;Bajdek et al, 2016;Qvarnström et al, 2016).…”

Section: Taphonomic Effects Of the Environmental Conditions Under Whimentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Fossilized feces, gastric contents, and regurgitations ("bromalites, " sensu Hunt et al, 1994; see also Hunt and Lucas, 2012) can tell us a lot about the dietary behavior of extinct organisms (Chin and Kirkland, 1998;Chin et al, 2008;Bajdek et al, 2014;Qvarnström et al, 2016). They mostly fossilize in situ (Hu et al, 2010;Bajdek, 2013), as isolated coprolites (Eriksson et al, 2011;Dentzien-Dias et al, 2012;Niedźwiedzki et al, 2016) or associated with the producer's skeleton (Hone et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Feeding Habits of Mesosauridae

Silva

Ferigolo

Bajdek³

et al. 2017

Front. Earth Sci.

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Mesosauridae comprises the oldest known aquatic amniotes which lived in Gondwana during the Early Permian. Previous work in the Uruguayan mesosaur-bearing Mangrullo Formation suggested that mesosaurids lived in an inland water body, inferred as moderately hypersaline, with exceptional preservational conditions that justified describing these strata as a Fossil-Lagerstätte. Exquisitely preserved articulated mesosaur skeletons, including gastric content and associated coprolites, from the Brazilian Iratí Formation in the State of Goiás (central-western Brazil) indicate excellent conditions of preservation, extending the Konservat-Lagerstätte designation to both units in the Paraná Basin. The near-absence of more resistant fossil remains, like actinopterygian and temnospondyl bones, demonstrates the faunistic poverty of the mesosaur-bearing "salty sea." Our studies of the alimentary habits of mesosaurids through the use of stereoscopic microscopy, light and electronic microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry suggest that the diet of mesosaurids was predominantly composed of pygocephalomorph crustaceans (possibly not exceeding 20 mm in length). However, the presence of bones and bone fragments of small mesosaurs in the gastric content, cololites, coprolites, and possible regurgitalites may also indicate cannibalistic and/or scavenging habits. Cannibalism is relatively common among vertebrates, particularly during conditions of environmental stress, like food shortage. Likewise, the apparent abundance of pygocephalomorph crustacean fossils in the Iratí and Mangrullo Formations, outside and within the studied gastric, cololite, and coprolite contents, might have to do with environmental stress possibly caused by volcanic activity, in particular ash spread into the basin during the Early Permian. In this context, casual necrophagy on the dead bodies of small mesosaurs and large pygocephalomorphs might have been an alternative alimentary behavior adopted for survival in mesosaurs.

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Section: Taphonomic Effects Of the Environmental Conditions Under Whimentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Feeding Habits of Mesosauridae

Silva

Ferigolo

Bajdek³

et al. 2017

Front. Earth Sci.

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“…; Hollocher & Hollocher ; Qvarnström et al . ). It has also been proposed that spiral faeces in particular must undergo rapid burial and lithification in order to retain their original morphology (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…; Qvarnström et al . ). Inclusions are abundant in the studied coprolites, particularly in Rauen specimens, and consist of bones and possibly scales of primarily actinopterygian fish, as implied by their morphology, size and histology (cf.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Multi-proxy analyses of Late Cretaceous coprolites from Germany

Qvarnström

Anagnostakis²,

Lindskog

et al. 2019

LET

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A total of 462 coprolites from three localities exposing Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Münster Basin, northwestern Germany, have been subjected to an array of analytical techniques, with the aim of elucidating ancient trophic structures and predator–prey interactions. The phosphatic composition, frequent bone inclusions, size and morphology collectively suggest that most, if not all, coprolites were produced by carnivorous (predatory or scavenging) vertebrates. The bone inclusions further indicate that the coprolite producers preyed principally upon fish. Putative host animals include bony fish, sharks and marine reptiles – all of which have been previously recorded from the Münster Basin. The presence of borings and other traces on several coprolites implies handling by coprophagous organisms. Remains of epibionts are also common, most of which have been identified as the encrusting bivalve Atreta. Palynological analyses of both the coprolites and host rocks reveal a sparse assemblage dominated by typical Late Cretaceous dinoflagellates, and with sub‐ordinate fern spores, conifer pollen grains and angiosperm pollen grains. The dinoflagellate key taxon Exochosphaeridium cenomaniense corroborates a Cenomanian age for the Plenus Marl, from which most studied coprolites derive. The findings of this study highlight the potential of a multi‐proxy approach when it comes to unravelling the origin, composition and importance of coprolites in palaeoecosystem analyses.

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Invertebrate coprolites and cololites revised

Knaust

2020

Papers in Palaeontology

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Vertebrate coprolites (fossil faeces): An underexplored Konservat-Lagerstätte

Cited by 58 publications

References 115 publications

The Feeding Habits of Mesosauridae

The Feeding Habits of Mesosauridae

Multi-proxy analyses of Late Cretaceous coprolites from Germany

Invertebrate coprolites and cololites revised

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