Earliest Evidence of Toxocara sp. in a 1.2-Million-Yr-Old Extinct Hyena (Pachycrocuta brevirostris) Coprolite from Northwest Pakistan

The study of fossil parasites can provide insight into the antiquity of host–parasite relationships and the origins and evolution of these paleoparasites. Here, a coprolite (fossilized feces) from the 1.2-million-yr-old paleontological site of Haro River Quarry in northwestern Pakistan was analyzed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of parasitology 2017-02, Vol.103 (1), p.138-141
Main Authors: Perri, Angela R, Heinrich, Susann, Gur-Arieh, Shira, Saunders, Jeffrey J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Feces - parasitology
Fossils - parasitology
Fourier Analysis
History, Ancient
Hyaenidae - classification
Hyaenidae - parasitology
Pakistan
Paleopathology
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Spectrophotometry, Infrared
Toxocara - isolation & purification
Toxocariasis - history
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Summary:The study of fossil parasites can provide insight into the antiquity of host–parasite relationships and the origins and evolution of these paleoparasites. Here, a coprolite (fossilized feces) from the 1.2-million-yr-old paleontological site of Haro River Quarry in northwestern Pakistan was analyzed for paleoparasites. Micromorphological thin sectioning and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analysis confirms the coprolite belonged to a bone-eating carnivore, likely the extinct giant short-faced hyena (Pachycrocuta brevirostris). Parasitological analysis shows the coprolite to be positive for Toxocara sp. To our knowledge, this is the earliest evidence for Toxocara sp. found.
ISSN:0022-3395
1937-2345
DOI:10.1645/16-71