Vertebrate Coprolites Research Articles

Palaeobiological and geochemical aspects of reptilian coprolites from a Maastrichtian Deccan volcano-sedimentary intertrappean deposit of central India

Cretaceous-Paleogene coprolite (fossilized faecal matter) records are significant in terms of providing direct palaeobiological evidence (from inclusions) in order to understand the diet of producer animal(s). In the past >150 years, research investigations (in India) have focussed on the Maastrichtian Type-A coprolite morphotype. Consequently, little information is available on the overall assemblage of Indian Maastrichtian vertebrate coprolites in terms of their morphological diversity, chemical composition, biotic-abiotic inclusions in the context of producer linkage(s) and geographic distribution within the Deccan volcano-sedimentary infra- and intertrappean deposits of India. Therefore, we present a detailed record of a coprolite assemblage from the Maastrichtian intertrappean deposits of Lotkheri, central India. This coprolite assemblage comprises five morphotypes based on their geometry, surface, and internal textures. Morphological considerations and biotic inclusions suggest that reptiles were the most likely producers of these ichnofossils. The associated faunal remains of reptiles (mainly chelonians and crocodilians) support this hypothesis. Dentalites or bite traces of Garfish (genus Lepisosteus) observed on the external surface of a few coprolite specimens (studied herein) are a rarity in the global fossil records. The analytical evidence confirm the phosphatic composition of the coprolites with the unique presence of three distinct morphologies (i.e. spherical, rods, and needles) of apatite crystals. Finally, we provide the chemical nature and plausible mechanism of apatite crystal formation via the chemical processes undergoing during the biomineralization of these crystals observed within coprolites.

Palaeontological and taphonomical investigations of the exceptionally rich concentration of Miocene vertebrate coprolites from Pécs-Danitzpuszta (Hungary, Mecsek Mts.)

ABSTRACT Thousands of coprolites have been collected from the Upper Miocene (Tortonian/Pannonian) sands of the Pécs-Danitzpuszta sand pit, one of the most important mixed Neogene vertebrate localities in Hungary. Although, the locality has been known for centuries, the coprolites have not been investigated in detail. We describe these fossils and explore their palaeoecological significance. Coprolites were examined with thin sections, X-ray powder diffraction and computed tomography. Their surface is mostly smooth, desiccation cracks were not observed. All coprolites mainly consist of apatite, indicating most probably a carnivorous diet. No evidence of herbivory has been found so far. The coprolites contain remains belonging to several groups: ostracod carapaces, bivalve shells, vertebrae from bony fishes, fish scales, as well as teeth. The CT scans show inhomogeneities in the matrix; however, in most cases they do not reliably indicate inclusions. The taphonomical features suggest rapid burial and most likely an aquatic origin. The spiral morphotype could be attributed to fishes with spiral intestinal valves. Teeth of reef-associated fish taxa indicate Badenian age for some specimens, though the coprolite assemblage might include older and younger specimens as well.

LAURUSSIAN-ASPECT OF THE COPROLITE ASSOCIATION FROM THE UPPER TRIASSIC (CARNIAN) OF THE ARGANA BASIN, MOROCCO

ABSTRACT A large collection of vertebrate coprolites derives from a debris flow conglomerate in the Upper Triassic Irohalene Member (Carnian) of the Timezgadiouine Formation, northern Argana Basin, Morocco. The coprolites are classified into 14 different morphotypes (MA to MN) based on their size, shape, and surface texture that are divided into three groups: striated coprolites; spiral and scroll-like coprolites; and non-spiral coprolites lacking striations. The great variety of morphotypes suggests the coprolites correspond to a variety of terrestrial and aquatic carnivorous producers. The carnivore coprolites lithified rapidly and were deposited in a high-energy sheetflood. The majority of the coprolites were produced by semi-aquatic and terrestrial tetrapods, with a small percentage produced by fish. The occurrence of Dicynodontocopros, common Alococopros, and some heteropolar forms with affinities to Heteropolacopros, are consistent with a late Carnian age for the Irohalene Member. The Irohalene coprolites are mostly similar to those of the coprofaunas of late Carnian age (Otischalkian–Adamanian) in the lower Chinle Group of the western United States in the co-occurrence of Alococopros and Dicynodontocopros. Significantly, this Moroccan coprofauna from Gondwana has close Laurussian relationships.

(?)REPTILE COPROLITES FROM THE CAMPANIAN AND MAASTRICHTIAN (LATE CRETACEOUS) OF THE LUHANSK REGION

Problem Statement and Purpose. Vertebrate coprolites have important paleobiological and paleogeographical significance. They are quite common trace fossils, but have almost never attracted the attention of researchers, despite the fact that in the literature there are numerous references to the findings of vertebrate coprolites in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits of Ukraine. The aims of this study are to describe the morphology of coprolites, compare them with morphologically similar vertebrate coprolites, and identify their potential producers. Data & Methods. Two well-preserved specimens of the vertebrate coprolites(Morphotype A and Morphotype B) were found in sediments of the late Campanian Sydorove Formation and early Maastrichtian Konoplyanivka Formation of the northern part of the Donets Basin. Results. Chondrichthyes fishes are excluded from the list of potential producers of coprolites due to the absence of spiral grooves on the surface of a more wellpreserved coprolite and the spiral pattern on its transverse section. These coprolites differ from coprolites of crocodiles in shape, but are close to them in size. One of the coprolites (Morphotype A) probably belongs to a marine reptile of the family Mosasauridae. Mosasaurids were large marine reptiles that appeared and flourishedin the Late Cretaceous (Turonian-Maastrichtian). The morphology of mosasaurids confirms their adaptation to active swimming. They fed mainly on fish, mollusks and other marine reptiles. It was not possible to identify the systematic position of the coprolite producer of Morphotype B. Skeletal remains of mosasaurids are known in the Campanian and Maastrichtian sediments of the Donets Basin. The study results showed that coprolites are important for paleoecological studies, so they deserve a detailed study.

The first Mesozoic vertebrate coprolites from Algeria

Nine morphotypes of coprolites, including Heteropolacopros texaniensis, Liassocopros isp., Hyronocopros amphipola, Eucoprus isp. 1, Eucoprus isp. 2, Morphotype 1, Morphotype 2, Morphotype 3, and Morphotype 4, are distinguished from the basal Late Cretaceous (Lower Cenomanian) of the ‘Continental Intercalaire’ deposits at Gara Samani (Sahara, southern Algeria). This coprofauna is the first to be identified, described and illustrated from the Mesozoic of Algeria. It adds new information on the trace-fossil assemblages previously reported from the Cretaceous localities of North Africa. The Gara Samani coproassociation marks the youngest occurrence of the ichnogenera Heteropolacopros and Hyronocopros. Most coprolites were produced by ichthyophagous carnivores, such as crocodiles, theropods (Spinosaurus) and different kinds of fish.

Coprolites in Cemented Pleistocene Deposits on the Cape South Coast of South Africa

Helm, C.W.; Bamford, M.K.; Carr, A.S.; Cawthra, H.C.; De Vynck, J.C.; Dixon, M.G.; Quick, L.J., and Stear, W., 2023. Coprolites in cemented Pleistocene deposits on the Cape south coast of South Africa. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(2), 221–233. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Ichnology, the study of trace fossils, has the potential to complement information from traditional body fossil studies. Six ichnosites, containing an array of features interpreted with varying degrees of confidence as vertebrate coprolites, have recently been identified on the Cape south coast of South Africa. They are embedded in Pleistocene deposits from Marine Isotope Stage 6 or 5e through Marine Isotope Stage 5a. Bovid, carnivoran, elephant, and reptile origins are inferred. In the majority of cases, vertebrate tracks occur in association with the coprolites. Petrography studies confirm an organic component in all samples, confirming the potential of coprolites to contribute to palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Although initial palynology and phytolith studies were negative, a diligent search for further sites and further testing may help in realizing this potential. More broadly, the six ichnosites demonstrate the capacity of cemented dune and beach surfaces on the Cape south coast to preserve coprolites in open-air settings, compared with previously known coprolite records from carnivore dens and archaeological sites.

A new ichnotaxonomic name for burrows in vertebrate coprolites from the Miocene Chesapeake Group of Maryland, U.S.A

A new ichnotaxonomic name, Transexcrementum cuniculus, is applied to tubular (cylindrical) tunnelings in coprolites. The type series of T. cuniculus consists of burrowed vertebrate (probably crocodilian) coprolites that originate from the Miocene Chesapeake Group of Maryland, U.S.A. These complex trace fossils exhibit the following combination of characters: burrows not lined nor backfilled; opening and transverse sections sub-circular; diameter supra-millimetric, up to ca. 20 mm, rather constant throughout; inner termination(s) rounded/conical; tunnel morphology straight or gently curved, sometimes branching; internal sculpturing sometimes present in form of short and irregularly oriented scratches and gouges. Clusters of the same kinds of gouges may also mark the outer surface of the coprolite. The tunneling tracemaker likely engaged in coprophagy; however, it is unclear what kind of organisms could have produced these burrows. Judging from the overall rarity of Transexcrementum cuniculus occurrences in the fossil record, the tracemaker responsible for the burrows might also have been rare, or fed on faeces only occasionally.

Vertebrate coprolites from Middle Triassic Chang 7 Member in Ordos Basin, China: Palaeobiological and palaeoecological implications

The early Ladinian lacustrine ecosystem of the Chang 7 Member in the Ordos Basin was proposed as the earliest known Mesozoic-type, trophically multileveled lacustrine ecosystem after the end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). However, limited evidence of higher-order trophic levels represented by predatory fish has made this conclusion elusive. In this study, we investigated the external morphology, food inclusions, and geochemical composition of 54 vertebrate coprolites from organic-rich lacustrine sediments of Chang 7 Member, Yanchang Formation, in the Bawangzhuang section, Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province, China. These coprolites were identified as seven morphotypes in three groups: three heteropolar spiral forms, two amphipolar spiral forms, and two non-spiral forms. Preserved inclusions (fish scales, bone fragments, teeth) indicated that the producers of these coprolites were piscivorous animals. Compared with coprolites previously researched, all coprolites described herein were inferred to be produced by fish: three heteropolar types of spiral coprolites derived from three types of hybodonts, two amphipolar spiral coprolites from coelacanth or Saurichthys with simple spiral valves, and non-spiral coprolites from at least two predatory actinopterygians. Thus, the biodiversity of the lacustrine paleoecosystem, particularly that of predators with upper trophic levels, was substantially enriched. The existence of large carnivorous predators of different taxa as apex predators in a trophically multileveled (at least six levels) lacustrine ecosystem indicates that the early Ladinian lacustrine ecosystem of the Ordos Basin marks the rebuilding of the top-predator trophic structure in the lacustrine ecosystem after the EPME.

COPROLITES FROM CALVERT CLIFFS: MIOCENE FECAL PELLETS AND BURROWED CROCODILIAN DROPPINGS FROM THE CHESAPEAKE GROUP OF MARYLAND, U.S.A.

New finds of remarkable coprolites (fossilized feces) are here reported from the famous Miocene marine sediments of the Chesapeake Group exposed along Calvert Cliffs (Maryland, U.S.A.). Although vertebrate coprolites have been described from these deposits, here we provide the first description of tiny invertebrate fecal pellets. Thus far, these fecal pellets have only been found in the upper Miocene (Tortonian) St. Marys Formation. The micro-coprolites represent the coprulid ichnospecies Coprulus oblongus. The fecal pellets are found in small clusters or strings of dozens to masses of many hundreds. Pellets range in size from approximately 0.4 – 2.0 mm wide by 1.0 – 5.0 mm long, and range in color from gray to brownish black. Their length/diameter ratio is always very nearly 2. These coprulids have been found in a variety of Miocene fossils/concretions including a uranoscopid neurocranium, naticid gastropod, bivalve shells, barnacle tests, and in pellet-backfilled sinuous burrows through sediment. Because the fecal pellets are often found in tiny spaces or spaces thought to be inaccessible to shelled invertebrates, the coprulids are attributed to small and soft-bodied polychaetes or other annelids. Some coprolites attributed to crocodilians from the lower-middle Miocene Calvert Formation were tunneled into, presumably the result of coprophagy, by some unknown kind of organism(s). These compound trace fossils are in the form of burrows that excavate the coprolites, the sides of which are sculptured by scratch/gouge marks.

The First Record on CM-Sized Vertebrate Coprolites From The Early-Middle Miocene (Aquitanian-Langhian) Khari Nadi and Chassra Formations, Kutch Basin, Western India: Palaeobiological Significance

The First Record on CM-Sized Vertebrate Coprolites From The Early-Middle Miocene (Aquitanian-Langhian) Khari Nadi and Chassra Formations, Kutch Basin, Western India: Palaeobiological Significance

Palaeoentomological study of the lacustrine oil-shales of the lower Miocene San Chils locality (Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin, Castellón province, Spain)

For the first time, the study of the fossil record present in laminated bituminous dolostones from the San Chils locality, lower Miocene in age (ca. 19 Ma), located at the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin, is addressed. The identification of 11 families and three genera belonging to six insect orders (Orthoptera, Thysanoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera) has been carried out. Furthermore, ephippia of ladoceran crustaceans, one bird feather, vertebrate coprolites and plant remains have been found. The San Chils palaeodiversity has been compared to that of La Rinconada, a similar outcrop in the same basin and depositional unit. Both localities correspond to lacustrine deposits and were mined during the past two centuries. This work has increased the palaeontological richness of the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin with new fi ndings such as specimens of the subfamily Corixinae (Hemiptera: Corixidae), some ant workers (Hymenoptera: ormicidae), a specimen assigned to the genus Exechia (Diptera: Mycetophilidae), ephippia of Daphnia (Ctenodapnia ) sp. (Branchiopoda: Cladocera), the possible first report of the genus Sciocoris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) for the Neogene fossil record and the possible presence of the family Aeolothripidae (Thysanoptera). The current collection of fossil specimens from San Chils is small, but shows that it shared similar palaeoenvironmental conditions to that of La Rinconada, both in the lake waters and in the surroundings.

Helminth eggs from early cretaceous faeces

The exceptional fossil site of Las Hoyas (upper Barremian, Cuenca, Spain) yields abundant small to medium vertebrate coprolites, hindering the search for parasites. We studied the contents of 29 coprolites that were previously classified into distinct morphotypes. Several parasitic eggs were retrieved from two of these coprolites, confirming the second record of digenea trematode eggs and nematode (ascaridid) eggs from an Early Cretaceous locality. The cylindrical coprolite containing anisakid eggs was likely produced by a crocodylomorph as the parasite host, whereas the bump-headed lace coprolite indicates the role of a fish as an intermediary or definitive host of the trematodes and ascaridids. These trace and body fossils show that the Las Hoyas 126–129 Ma lacustrine ecosystem documents the early connection between basal Gonorynchiformes fish and digenetic trematodes.

Hyena hegemony: biogeography and taphonomy of Pleistocene vertebrate coprolites with description of a new mammoth coprolite ichnotaxon

In 1822, William Buckland first recognized Pleistocene vertebrate coprolites, and they are now known from more multiple localities with a global distribution. Carnivore coprolites dominate, and there are two distinct biogeographic and taphonomic provinces for vertebrate coprolites in the Pleistocene. The Castrocopros province of North and South America is characterized by a dominance of herbivore coprolites, which are preserved almost exclusively in caves. The Hyaenacoprus province in Africa, Europe and Asia is dominated by hyena coprolites that occur mainly in caves, but also in other depositional environments. Pacific Islands may represent a third province characterized by dominant bird coprolites from caves, but the known localities are all Holocene. Mammuthocopros allenorum ichnogen. and ichnosp. nov. is a coprolite of Mammuthus columbi from Utah, USA.

Late Cretaceous climate in the Canadian Arctic: Multi-proxy constraints from Devon Island

Arctic climate in the Late Cretaceous has long been recognized to have been warm and wet relative to the present, but quantitative assessments of paleoclimate have been challenging due, in part, to disagreements between proxies in marine and terrestrial environments. This study provides a first multiproxy evaluation of Late Cretaceous (~93–90 Ma to 73–72 Ma) paleoclimate and paleohydrology from Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic (modern location: 76°17′N, 91°12′W; Late Cretaceous location: ~71°30′N, ~24°30′W). Surface temperatures are reconstructed at ~12.6 to 20.6 °C for the ocean and 11.7 to 16.9 °C over land, using glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) based proxies measured from marine (TEX86) and terrestrial samples (MBT′5ME). These proxies are likely skewed toward warm month temperatures, based on novel analysis and interpretation of biomarkers in sediment and co-occurring marine vertebrate coprolites. The hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2H) of precipitation is constrained to have varied from −123‰ to −82‰ (VSMOW) using evidence from n-alkanes likely derived from higher plants. δ18O of shelfal marine surface water is constrained to have been between −10.5‰ to −3.4‰, using phosphate oxygen isotopes of marine vertebrate teeth and coprolites. From these, marine salinity is modeled to have varied from 10 PSU and 30 PSU, indicative of periodic freshwater influx. These estimates indicate that large marine vertebrates lived and fed, at least intermittently, in near-shore brackish waters. Finally, the Arctic was similarly warm in both the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene/Eocene, but the Late Cretaceous isotopic composition of precipitation at Devon Island was enriched in the heavy isotope of hydrogen by up to +60 to +70‰ relative to Arctic Eocene sites. The combination of techniques used here reduces uncertainties related to the application of proxies to an environment without a modern analogue, providing novel paleoclimatic constraints on the Late Cretaceous Arctic region.

Taphonomy and paleoenvironments of Middle Triassic bone accumulations in the Lifua Member of the Manda Beds, Songea Group (Ruhuhu Basin), Tanzania

ABSTRACTWe report new data on the climate, paleoenvironments, and burial history of tetrapod fossils in the Middle Triassic Lifua Member of the Manda Beds (Songea Group) of southern Tanzania. Two bone-bearing intervals have been identified, both hosted by rubified floodplain mudrocks deposited alongside rivers that flowed from the Ruhuhu rift scarps into a series of subsiding basins under a warm, seasonally wet climate. The lower occurrence is a bonebed containing fossils of a large dicynodont (Dolichuranus), large cynodonts (Cynognathus), temnospondyls, small reptiles, and at least two archosauromorph reptiles. A chaotic melange of semiarticulated, disarticulated, and reworked bones associated with pedogenically mottled sandy siltstone is interpreted as having accumulated in a distal crevasse splay complex. The middle to upper Lifua bone accumulations are associated with floodplain pond and sheetwash deposits. Outcropping as isolated patches of strongly calcified rubified mudstones with lenses of reworked glaebule conglomerate, these accumulations contain partially articulated archosaur (Asilisaurus, Nundasuchus) and cynodont (Scalenodon) skeletons along with vertebrate coprolites and nonmarine bivalves (‘Unio’). Changes in floodplain facies, faunal assemblage, and taphonomic style between lower and middle to upper Lifua strata are similar to those recorded between the middle and upper Burgersdorp Formation (subzones B to C of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone) of the main Karoo Basin of South Africa. We propose that an increase in mean annual temperature and rainfall in southwestern Gondwana during Early to Middle Triassic times resulted in vegetated, semipermanent water bodies in the floodplain depressions that supported a relatively diverse assemblage of herbivorous dicynodont, cynodont, and early archosaur populations.Citation for this article: Smith, R. M. H., C. A. Sidor, K. D. Angielczyk, S. J. Nesbitt, and N. J. Tabor. 2018. Taphonomy and paleoenvironments of Middle Triassic bone accumulations in the Lifua Member of the Manda Beds, Songea Group (Ruhuhu Basin), Tanzania; pp. 65–79 in C. A. Sidor and S. J. Nesbitt (eds.), Vertebrate and Climatic Evolution in the Triassic Rift Basins of Tanzania and Zambia. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 17. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 37(6,Supplement).

Paleoecological and taphonomical aspects of the Late Miocene vertebrate coprolites (Urumaco Formation) of Venezuela

Coprolites (fossil feces) provide important paleoecological information, such as diet of the producer, parasite infestation and gut microbiota, which cannot be accessed through body remains. The Upper Miocene Urumaco Formation, in western Venezuela, has a diverse vertebrate fauna composed of ground sloths, rodents, reptiles, fishes and amphibians, as well as coprolites. Here we describe 106 coprolites produced by a range of carnivorous and herbivorous vertebrates, classified into five different morphotypes based on their size and shape, suggesting different producers. Herbivorous morphotypes (M1, M2 and M5) are the most abundant (59%). The most common inclusions in these coprolites are Poaceae remains, although Eudicotyledoneae fragments, bacteria and cyanobacteria filaments were also found. The M1 morphotype has a bullet shape with longitudinal grooves; the M2 morphotype is rounded to oval, with at least one distinctive tapered end; and the M5 morphotype is a short cylinder with a rough surface, and rounded ends. In contrast, the morphotypes M3 and M4 are attributed by us to carnivores and have different inclusions. While M3 is a large cylinder with rounded ends and contains bacteria, nematode eggs and phytoliths, M4 is sausage-shaped and has muscle cells preserved inside. Based on the co-occurring fauna and the morphology of the coprolites, the probable producers were inferred as the following: M1, a rodent; M2, a notoungulate; M3, a crocodilian; M4, an indeterminate carnivore; and M5, a sirenian. The preservation of herbivorous and carnivorous coprolites with bacterial, parasitological and muscle remains in the same formation and even the same outcrop is rare in the geological record. This unique association and preservation suggests early lithification promoted by rapid burial, although the presence of the boring trace Gastrochaenolites in a single specimen indicates some degree of time-averaging.

First report on vertebrate coprolites from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Csehbánya Formation of Iharkút, Hungary

More than 2600 coprolites produced by vertebrates have been found in the fluvial lacustrine beds of the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Csehbánya Formation, Iharkút, western Hungary. In this study the mineral components, embedded dietary residues of these coprolites were examined and their ecological significance are discussed. The coprolite assemblage, containing mostly small-sized (length between 0.8 and 8.6 cm) specimens, can be ordered into seven different morphotypes, among which the spiral ones might have been produced by fish with spiral intestinal valves. The surface of the coprolites is mostly smooth and desiccation cracks were observed in only one case, suggesting that most of these coprolites were buried in-situ without long-term subaerial exposure. The fine-grained matrix of coprolites contains small holes, partially digested plant and animal residues but no sedimentary particles. CT-scanning was an effective method for revealing embedded dietary residues despite that the coprolites contain a large amount of pyrite. The coprolites contain cuticle remains, coalified seeds, pollen grains and diatoms. Animal residues may be the evidence of predation: mollusk shell and bone fragments, ganoid scales of Lepisosteiformes fish were frequent and one Pycnodontiformes fish tooth was found as well. It is not possible to ascertain the real producer of the coprolites, but, according to these remains, the Lepisosteiformes and Pycnodontiformes fish were included in the producer's prey. Not only the bone- but also the plant-bearing coprolites are highly phosphatic with mineral apatite in their matrix. However, the embedding fluvial sediment has significantly different chemical composition. The high phosphatic content of coprolites and the apatite might be derived from the carnivorous diet. Plant remains in the phosphatic coprolites may imply an omnivore producer or were the result of their incidental ingestion. Rapid burial and the mineral content of the animal nutriment might have been the responsible factors for the good preservation of the excrements.

Scale insect larvae preserved in vertebrate coprolites (Le Quesnoy, France, Lower Eocene): paleoecological insights.

Coprolites of terrestrial vertebrates from the Sparnacian Le Quesnoy locality (Ypresian, Eocene, MP7, 53 Ma; Oise, France) were examined for possible parasitic helminth eggs. The extraction of the coprolite components was performed by a weak acetolyse and a slide mounting in glycerin. This long examination did not reveal paleoparasite remains, which may be explained through several arguments. However, some pollen grains, some enigmatic components, and two well-preserved first-instar cochineal nymphs (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea) were evidenced in coprolites. Identified as Coccidae, these larvae are the earliest stage of the scale insect development ever reported as fossil, revealing the specific environment of preservation that fossilized scats may provide. These observations, combined to the coprolites morphotype, enable to ascribe the fossil scats producer to a small herbivorous mammal present in the deposit (early perissodactyls or Plesiadapidae). Regarding the ecology of extant representatives of Coccidae, this mammal was a likely foliage consumer, and the abundant Juglandaceae and/or Tiliaceae from Le Quesnoy might have lived parasitized by scale insects. These Early Eocene parasites had an already well-established dissemination strategy, with prevalent minute first-instar larvae. The herein performed extraction technique appears well-suited for the study of carbonate coprolites and could certainly be useful for evidencing other kind of microorganisms (including internal parasites).

Possible vertebrate coprolites from the Upper Cretaceous (Coniacian) of the Sudetes Mountains (southern Poland)

Possible coprolites from the Upper Cretaceous (Coniacian) of Waliszow Stary in the Sudetes Mountains (southern Poland) are described for the first time. They are relatively small, irregular in outline, and preserved as goethite, limonite, siderite and hematite. Although it is difficult to identify the producer of these coprolites, they were most probably formed by some fish.

An Early Triassic polar predator ecosystem revealed by vertebrate coprolites from the Bulgo Sandstone (Sydney Basin) of southeastern Australia

Vertebrate trace fossils often provide a measure of cryptic biodiversity, and are especially pertinent when skeletal remnants are exceptionally rare. The Lower Triassic (lower Olenekian) Bulgo Sandstone at Long Reef in the Sydney Basin of southeastern Australia constitutes just such a deposit, having yielded isolated bones of giant capitosaurian temnospondyls and proterosuchid archosauriforms, together with abundant coprolites that are geochemically rich in elemental phosphate and carbon denoting vertebrate predators. Microstructural analysis of these preserved droppings reveals occasional bone fragments, fish scales, insect cuticles, plant material and bacterial traces (pseudomorph voids), as well as silicate mineral particles. REE concentrations indicate that burial and early diagenesis occurred explicitly within fluvial sediments. Furthermore, external morphological characterization permits attribution of spiral coprolites to chondrichthyan or osteichthyan fishes, polygonal, ovoid–spherical and typically flattened feces to temnospondyls, and conspicuously large cylindrical droppings to archosauriforms or other amniote apex predators. Collectively, the Bulgo Sandstone coprolite assemblage thus offers new insights into ecosystem structure and palaeoenvironment in what was an earliest Triassic near polar setting. Such data compliments the documented skeletal record, but indicates a greater range of aquatic and possibly terrestrial carnivores — the latter being enigmatically sparse in the Australian Triassic and yet detected here via the hitherto underexplored trace fossil evidence of their ecological presence.