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

PLoS One. 2023 Aug 9;18(8):e0287891. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287891. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

A paleoparasitological investigation of a vertebrate coprolite from the Huai Hin Lat Formation (Upper Triassic) was carried out. Five morphotypes of potential parasite eggs or sporocysts were identified in the coprolite by microscopic analysis using thin section technique. The rounded or oval shape and thick shell of one of the five morphotypes suggests that it belongs to nematode of the order Ascaridida. Systematic assignment of other morphotypes cannot be done in detail but suggests that the host was parasitized by different species of parasites. This is the first record of parasites in terrestrial vertebrate hosts from the Late Triassic in Asia and it provides new information on parasite-host interactions during the Mesozoic era.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fossils
  • Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Nematoda*
  • Parasites*
  • Thailand
  • Vertebrates

Grants and funding

This research project was financially supported by Mahasarakham University, by the IRN paleobiodivASE CNRS, by the Hubert Curien PHC project trophic network evolution of the Mesozoic of Thailand and its impact on biodiversity (2016-2017) and by the French Agence nationale de la recherche (project ANR-11-CEPL-0002 BiodivHealthSEA). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.