Paleoparasitology of holocenic rodents from the archaeological site “Alero Destacamento Guardaparque”, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.

NORMA H. SARDELLA, MARTÍN H. FUGASSA, DIEGO D. RINDEL & RAFAEL A. GOÑI.

Necochea

Congreso; III Paleopathology Meeting in South American.; 2009

Universidad Nacional del Centro

The archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque is a rocky shelter situated in the Perito Moreno National Park (47°40´S, 72°30´W), Santa Cruz province, in a hill of low altitude. Since 1990 excavations were conducted in the area. The aim of this work was to study the parasitic remains present in rodent coprolites from the site. Forty-eight faeces were examined from layers 7, 6 and 5, dated at 6700±70, 4900±70 and 3440±70 years before present, respectively. Each coprolite was measured, whole processed, rehydrated with trissodium phosphate and 10% acetic formalin, homogenized and allowed to spontaneously sediment. Microscopic observations were made and the eggs of parasites were measured and photographed. Helminthic eggs (n=568) were found in 47 faeces. From layer 7, 81 eggs of Trichuris sp. (Nematoda: Trichuridae), 36 of Monoecocestus sp. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae), 15 of Calodium sp. and 16 of an unidentified capillarid (Nematoda: Capillariidae) were collected. From layer 6, 75 eggs of Trichuris sp., 64 of Monoecocestus sp., 76 of Calodium sp., 18 of Eucoleus sp. (Nematoda: Capillariidae) and 34 eggs of 2 unidentified species of capillarids were found. From layer 5, 17 eggs of Trichuris sp., 65 of Monoecocestus sp., 50 of Calodium sp., 10 of Eucoleus sp., and 11 of 2 unidentified species of capillarids were identified. The specific filiation of parasites, their zoonotic importance and the identity of the rodents, on the basis of previous zooarchaeological knowlege and environmental conditions during the Early Holocene in the studied area, are discussed. The archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque is a rocky shelter situated in the Perito Moreno National Park (47°40´S, 72°30´W), Santa Cruz province, in a hill of low altitude. Since 1990 excavations were conducted in the area. The aim of this work was to study the parasitic remains present in rodent coprolites from the site. Forty-eight faeces were examined from layers 7, 6 and 5, dated at 6700±70, 4900±70 and 3440±70 years before present, respectively. Each coprolite was measured, whole processed, rehydrated with trissodium phosphate and 10% acetic formalin, homogenized and allowed to spontaneously sediment. Microscopic observations were made and the eggs of parasites were measured and photographed. Helminthic eggs (n=568) were found in 47 faeces. From layer 7, 81 eggs of Trichuris sp. (Nematoda: Trichuridae), 36 of Monoecocestus sp. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae), 15 of Calodium sp. and 16 of an unidentified capillarid (Nematoda: Capillariidae) were collected. From layer 6, 75 eggs of Trichuris sp., 64 of Monoecocestus sp., 76 of Calodium sp., 18 of Eucoleus sp. (Nematoda: Capillariidae) and 34 eggs of 2 unidentified species of capillarids were found. From layer 5, 17 eggs of Trichuris sp., 65 of Monoecocestus sp., 50 of Calodium sp., 10 of Eucoleus sp., and 11 of 2 unidentified species of capillarids were identified. The specific filiation of parasites, their zoonotic importance and the identity of the rodents, on the basis of previous zooarchaeological knowlege and environmental conditions during the Early Holocene in the studied area, are discussed. The archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque is a rocky shelter situated in the Perito Moreno National Park (47°40´S, 72°30´W), Santa Cruz province, in a hill of low altitude. Since 1990 excavations were conducted in the area. The aim of this work was to study the parasitic remains present in rodent coprolites from the site. Forty-eight faeces were examined from layers 7, 6 and 5, dated at 6700±70, 4900±70 and 3440±70 years before present, respectively. Each coprolite was measured, whole processed, rehydrated with trissodium phosphate and 10% acetic formalin, homogenized and allowed to spontaneously sediment. Microscopic observations were made and the eggs of parasites were measured and photographed. Helminthic eggs (n=568) were found in 47 faeces. From layer 7, 81 eggs of Trichuris sp. (Nematoda: Trichuridae), 36 of Monoecocestus sp. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae), 15 of Calodium sp. and 16 of an unidentified capillarid (Nematoda: Capillariidae) were collected. From layer 6, 75 eggs of Trichuris sp., 64 of Monoecocestus sp., 76 of Calodium sp., 18 of Eucoleus sp. (Nematoda: Capillariidae) and 34 eggs of 2 unidentified species of capillarids were found. From layer 5, 17 eggs of Trichuris sp., 65 of Monoecocestus sp., 50 of Calodium sp., 10 of Eucoleus sp., and 11 of 2 unidentified species of capillarids were identified. The specific filiation of parasites, their zoonotic importance and the identity of the rodents, on the basis of previous zooarchaeological knowlege and environmental conditions during the Early Holocene in the studied area, are discussed.