Abstract

Paleoparasitology is an interdisciplinary science that studies the parasitic infections in the past, using fossils and subfossils recovered from archeological and paleontological lithostratigraphic units. During the 20th and 21st centuries, it has improved the biological knowledge on helminths and protozoans, as well as provided numerous sociocultural insights into the past civilizations. Here, we present an updated review of the paleoparasitological contributions to the analyses of ancient infections in vertebrate remains recovered from different regions of Brazil. Since its emergence, the Paleoparasitology has been important to a multidisciplinary knowledge related to sociocultural aspects of the American Pre-Columbian civilizations and may provide an important ecological, evolutionary, and biogeographical understanding of parasites of vertebrates other than humans throughout the geological time. The present data compilation suggests a prominent role in the scientific community assumed by paleoparasitological approaches, since they have been contributing to a better understanding of helminth and protozoan distribution in South America, during the Phanerozoic eon and consolidating the Paleoparasitology as a global science. Keywords: Coprolite, mummy, helminth, protozoa.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.