Vertebrate Coprolites Research Articles

Reduction of vertebrate coprolite diversity associated with the end-Permian extinction event in Vyazniki region, European Russia

This study investigates the paleoecological significance of vertebrate coprolites collected from seven sections and three lithofacies of the uppermost Permian and lowermost Triassic succession from the Vyazniki site in the European part of Russia. The analyzed specimens (coprolites and possibly some cololites) were grouped into nine morphotypes (A–I). The coprolite morphotypes were characterized geochemically and compared to the record of other Permian and Triassic coprolites worldwide. Based on the stratigraphic position, shape, structure and composition, all morphotypes were linked to supposed producers. The phosphatic composition of most of the morphotypes and inclusions of arthropod remains, fish scales and bone fragments, suggest that they were produced by carnivores, but non-phosphatic, carbonate-rich, large and oval-shaped coprolites with impressions after plant remains have also been found. The extinction of terrestrial vertebrates around the Permian–Triassic boundary in Russia is interpreted to have occurred within a few thousands of years. Here, we show a pattern of coprolite morphotypes disappearing across this boundary that is consistent with a relatively sudden change in the vertebrate faunal composition across this interval.

Coprolites from the Late Triassic Kap Stewart Formation, Jameson Land, East Greenland: morphology, classification and prey inclusions

Abstract A large collection of vertebrate coprolites from black lacustrine shales in the Late Triassic (Rhaetian–Sinemurian) Kap Stewart Formation, East Greenland is examined with regard to internal and external morphology, prey inclusions, and possible relationships to the contemporary vertebrate fauna. A number of the coprolites were mineralogically examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), showing the primary mineral composition to be apatite, clay minerals, carbonates and, occasionally, quartz in the form of secondary mineral grains. The coprolite assemblage shows multiple sizes and morphotypes of coprolites, and different types of prey inclusions, demonstrating that the coprolite assemblage originates from a variety of different producers. Supplementary material: A description of the size, shape, structure, texture, contents and preservation of the 328 specimens is available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.2134335

Coprolites of Late Triassic carnivorous vertebrates from Poland: An integrative approach

Vertebrate coprolites derived from Upper Triassic terrestrial deposits of southern Poland have been subjected to various analytical methods in order to retrieve information about their composition, producer’s diet and nature of the microscopic structures preserved in the groundmass. Morphologically, the coprolites have been classified into four morphotypes, of which only three were further analysed due to their good state of preservation. Their groundmass are composed of francolite, a carbonate-rich apatite, in which abundant coccoid structures are preserved. Based on various microscopic and organic geochemical techniques, they are interpreted as fossilized bacteria which could have mediated the phosphatization of the faeces. The thin sectioning revealed that the coprolites consist of those containing exclusively bone remains, and those preserving both bone and plant remains. Those coprolites preserving only vertebrate remains are suggestive for exclusive carnivorous diet of the producers. However, the interpretation of coprolites consisting of both vertebrate and plant remains is more debatable. Although they may attest to omnivory, it cannot be excluded that potential producers were carnivorous and occasionally ingested plants, or accidentally swallowed plant material during feeding. The latter may involve predation or scavenging upon other herbivorous animals. The potential producers may have been animals that foraged in or near aquatic habitats, such as semi-aquatic archosaurs and/or temnospondyls. This is supported by the presence of ostracode and other aquatic arthropod remains, and fish scales within the coprolites, as well as by the presence of specific biomarkers such as phytanic and pristanic acids, which are characteristic constituents of fish oil. The preservation of such labile organic compounds as sterols, palmitin, stearin or levoglucosan attests for rapid, microbially-mediated mineralization of the faeces at very early stages of diagenesis.

Late Quaternary terrestrial vertebrate coprolites from New Zealand

Over the past decade, concerted efforts to find and study Late Quaternary terrestrial vertebrate coprolites in New Zealand have revealed new insights into the diets and ecologies of New Zealand's prehistoric birds. Here, we provide a broader review of the coprolites found in natural (non-archaeological) Late Quaternary deposits from New Zealand. We summarise the morphological diversity of the coprolites, and discuss the taphonomy of the sites in which they are found. Since the 1870s more than 2000 coprolites have been discovered from 30 localities, all restricted to the South Island. The distribution of coprolite localities appears to reflect the presence of geological and climatic factors that enhance the potential for coprolite preservation; coprolites require dry conditions for preservation, and have been found on the ground surface within drafting cave entrances and at shallow (<300 mm) depths beneath rock overhangs with a northerly aspect. We classify the coprolites into eleven morphotypes, each of which may represent a range of different bird and/or reptile species. A review of genetically identified specimens shows that coprolites of different bird species overlap in size and morphology, reinforcing the need for identifications to be based on ancient DNA analysis.

Discovery of Vertebrate Coprolites from the Crato Member, Araripe Basin in the Northeast of Brazil

Discovery of Vertebrate Coprolites from the Crato Member, Araripe Basin in the Northeast of Brazil

Paleobiology of a unique vertebrate coprolites concentration from Rio do Rasto Formation (Middle/Upper Permian), Paraná Basin, Brazil

Abstract A large number of coprolites were collected in one outcrop in the lacustrine facies of Rio do Rasto Formation (Middle/Upper Permian) in Southern Brazil. The material ranges from 0.6 cm to 11 cm in length. Their mineralogy, inclusions and morphology were studied to infer their biological source and taphonomy. All of them contain fragments of bones and fish scales, as well as crystalline apatite, and therefore are assigned to carnivores. A wide variety of morphotypes is described, including the knots and the well-known spiral coprolites (heteropolar and amphipolar), as well as a new kind of heteropolar coprolite we called as “edge”, that has the whorls grouped in the very end of one pole. These data allow us to instead that a wide variety of vertebrates lived in the lakes of the Middle/Upper Permian in southern Brazil.

The Earliest Post-Paleozoic Freshwater Bivalves Preserved in Coprolites from the Karoo Basin, South Africa

BackgroundSeveral clades of bivalve molluscs have invaded freshwaters at various times throughout Phanerozoic history. The most successful freshwater clade in the modern world is the Unionoida. Unionoids arose in the Triassic Period, sometime after the major extinction event at the End-Permian boundary and are now widely distributed across all continents except Antarctica. Until now, no freshwater bivalves of any kind were known to exist in the Early Triassic.Principal FindingsHere we report on a faunule of two small freshwater bivalve species preserved in vertebrate coprolites from the Olenekian (Lower Triassic) of the Burgersdorp Formation of the Karoo Basin, South Africa. Positive identification of these bivalves is not possible due to the limited material. Nevertheless they do show similarities with Unionoida although they fall below the size range of extant unionoids. Phylogenetic analysis is not possible with such limited material and consequently the assignment remains somewhat speculative.ConclusionsBivalve molluscs re-invaded freshwaters soon after the End-Permian extinction event, during the earliest part of the recovery phase during the Olenekian Stage of the Early Triassic. If the specimens do represent unionoids then these Early Triassic examples may be an example of the Lilliput effect. Since the oldest incontrovertible freshwater unionoids are also from sub-Saharan Africa, it is possible that this subcontinent hosted the initial freshwater radiation of the Unionoida. This find also demonstrates the importance of coprolites as microenvironments of exceptional preservation that contain fossils of organisms that would otherwise have left no trace.

Shark-bitten vertebrate coprolites from the Miocene of Maryland

Coprolites (fossilized feces) preserve a wide range of biogenic components, from bacteria and spores to a variety of vertebrate tissues. Two coprolites from the Calvert Cliffs outcrop belt (Miocene-aged Chesapeake Group), MD, USA, preserve shark tooth impressions in the form of partial dental arcades. The specimens are the first known coprolites to preserve vertebrate tooth marks. They provide another example of trace fossils providing evidence of prehistoric animal behaviors that cannot be directly approached through the study of body fossils. Shark behaviors that could account for these impressions include: (1) aborted coprophagy, (2) benthic or nektonic exploration, or (3) predation.

Late Triassic palynoflora from the Pranhita–Godavari Valley, India: evidence from vertebrate coprolites

Vijaya, Prasad, G.V.R. & Singh, K., June, 2009. Late Triassic palynoflora from the Pranhita–Godavari Valley, India: evidence from vertebrate coprolites. Alcheringa 33, 91–111. ISSN 0311-5518. The Upper Triassic Maleri Formation, represented by red clays and sandstones, has to date not produced any plant macrofossils or palynomorphs. Many spiral and non-spiral coprolites collected during this study from the Maleri Formation of the Pranhita-Godavari Valley were analysed for palynomorphs. Based on shape, nature of coiling and size, the Maleri coprolites are classified into seven groups. Of these, only Group-I, Type 5 (non-spiral) and amphipolar (spiral) types yielded diverse gymnospermous and pteridophytic spores, pollen, other plant debris and sparse fungal spores and algal remains. Occurrences of Antulsporites varigranulatus, Aratrisporites spp., Cadargasporites baculatus, Dubrajisporites isolatus, Enzonalasporites vigens, Foraminisporis coelatus, Grandispora spinosa, Kraeuselisporites saeptatus, Polycingulatisporites reduncus, Staurosaccites spp., Tethysispora unica and Tikisporites balmei confirm a Late Triassic age for the coprolite-bearing red clays. Records of Classopollis classoides and Callialasporites turbatus/dampieri in these assemblages more precisely suggest a Norian to Rhaetian age. The non-spiral coprolites were possibly produced by aquatic piscivorous animals whereas the spiral coprolites may have been produced by an as yet unidentified fish taxon. The coprolite-producing animals (spiral and non-spiral groups) possibly ingested gymnospermous and pteridophytic plant remains passively along with water or their herbivorous prey.

PALEOSOLS AND ICHNOFOSSILS OF THE WHITE RIVER FORMATION OF COLORADO: INSIGHT INTO SOIL ECOSYSTEMS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN MIDCONTINENT DURING THE EOCENE-OLIGOCENE TRANSITION

Abstract Exposures of the upper Eocene to middle Oligocene White River Formation in northeastern Colorado contain ichnofossil-rich paleosols in a meandering alluvial system. The paleoenvironmental, paleoecological, and paleoclimatic significance of these paleosols and ichnofossils record the effects on soil ecosystems of the initial stages of global cooling in the late Eocene and early Oligocene. Previous studies of Eocene-Oligocene paleosols in Wyoming and South Dakota suggest a transition from woodland to grassland ecosystems in response to global cooling and drying. We describe four paleosol types from the study area. Type I paleosols include compound Entisols characterized by shallow networks of fine rhizoliths and ichnofaunal assemblages of Planolites isp., Pallichnus dakotensis, Macanopsis isp., Celliforma ficoides, and vertebrate coprolites. Type II paleosols are compound Inceptisols characterized by elongate rhizoliths and ichnofaunal assemblages of Planolites isp., Pallichnus dakotensis, Macanops...

Paleobiological implications of Campanian coprolites

Vertebrate coprolites (153 samples) in association with vertebrate and plant remains in the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) sediments of the Cerro del Pueblo Formation, in southeastern Coahuila, Mexico, represent at least ten morphotypes, ranging from ca. 1 cm to 3 cm. At least one suggests a carnivore origin due to the presence of abundant bone fragments, but most of the coprolite morphotypes were produced by either omnivores or herbivores. Analysis of inclusions of the coprolites revealed plant remains, such as stems and isolated vascular elements, and papillate and non-papillate cuticles. Two seed types have been recognized within two coprolite morphotypes. The first one has lythraceous affinity, being comparable to members of a morphological complex within Nesaeeae. The second seed type, which shows adaptations for water dispersal, belongs to Ranunculaceae, and is described as Eocaltha zoophila gen. et sp. nov. Although Eocaltha evolved a mechanism for abiotic dispersal, the seeds were apparently occasionally ingested by a vertebrate. The presence of seeds of E. zoophila in a coprolite suggests that the organism that produced it was looking for a high-quality diet perhaps represented by the seeds, and served indirectly as a biotic seed dispersal agent. The combination of abiotic and biotic dispersal syndromes, plus the fact that the seeds appear to be scarified suggest a case of diffuse coevolution. Interactions, as herbivory, during the Cretaceous prompted biotic dispersal of angiosperm diaspores as revealed by the presence of seeds of E. zoophila.

Taxonomy and Stratigraphic and Fades Significance of Vertebrate Coprolites of the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, Western United States

Vertebrate coprolites are common in the Upper Triassic Chinle Group of the western United States. Two new ichnotaxa (Dicynodontocopros maximus, Het‐eropolacopros texaniensis, both ichnogen. and ichnosp. nov.) have stratigraphic ranges restricted in the late Carnian. Heteropolacopros occurs throughout the Oti‐schalkian and Adamanian whereas Dicynodontocopros is restricted to the Adamanian. Coprolite acme zones occur in the upper Carnian, lower Norian and Rhaetian portions of the Chinle Group. The distribution of some Chinle Group coprolites is facies controlled.

The palaeobiology of trace fossils

Nomenclature and Taxonomy of Invertebrate Trace Fossils (R. Pickerill). Functional Morphology of Boring and Burrowing Invertebrates (E. Savazzi). The Paleobiology of Ichnocoenoses in Quaternary Bahamian-Style Carbonate Environments: The Modern to Fossil Transition (H. Curran). The Period of Early Evolutionary Failure and the Dawn of Evolutionary Success: The Record of Biotic Changes Across the Precambrian-Cambrian Boundary (T. Crimes). The Paleoecology of Bioerosion (R. Bromley). The History of Phanerozoic Bioturbation (D. Bottjer & M. Droser). Plant Roots in Core (J. Bockelie). Insects and Other Arthropods as Trace-Makers in Non-Marine Environments and Paleoenvironments (S. Donovan). The Paleobiology of Vertebrate Coprolites (A. Hunt, et al.). Vertebrate Tracks and the Ichnofacies Concept: Implications for Paleoecology and Palichnostratigraphy (M. Lockley, et al.). The Fossil Record of Vertebrate Eggs (K. Hirsch). Index.

The “coprolites” that aren't: The straight poop on specimens from the Miocene of southwestern Washington State

Coprolite‐like siderite masses from paludal deposits of the Miocene‐Pliocene(?) Wilkes Formation near Toledo, southwestern Washington, have been studied since 1939. Over the years, numerous fossil supply houses have also sold them as vertebrate coprolites. The origin of these curious objects has been attributed to formation as speleo‐thems, pseudomorphs of bryozoa, and as feces of vertebrates, including reptiles, fish, and mammals. No vertebrate fossils have been recovered from the Wilkes Formation, although plant fossils and other organic debris are common locally. Evidence cited in support of a fecal origin include the extruded shape, the variation in shape corresponding to viscosity variations, the limited length or quantity of material, and anal extrusion striations (Amstutz, 1958). A new hypothesis for the origin of these so‐called coprolites is proposed, relying on organic‐rich sediment, but inorganic processes. In this scenario, organic‐rich silt and clay was forcefully injected into hollow wood fragments and through knotholes, creating the characteristic features formerly cited as conclusive evidence for the fecal origin of these objects. Diagenetic processes then replaced the organic sediment protected within the wood fragments with siderite.

Casts of Vertebrate Internal Organs from the Upper Cretaceous of Western Canada

Casts of intestines exceeding 1 m in length have been excavated from the non-marine kaolinitic mudstones of the Whitemud Formation (late Cretaceous) in southern Saskatchewan. They are associated with hundreds of thousands of coprolites preserved in a channel-fill with fluvio-deltaic clastics overlying Bearpaw Formation marine shales. This deposit may represent the largest known accumulation of Cretaceous vertebrate coprolites from the North American Interior. The four known intestines are tightly sinuous without spiral coiling and with longitudinal lobes. Finely detailed surface striations and ridges preserve the texture of the gut wall, but no internal detail was observed in each intestinal specimen. The longitudinal muscles suggest a preservation of the large intestine, in contrast with the circular muscles of the small intestine. The intestinal specimens and coprolites are attributed to a herbivorous tetrapod because of the tightly packed sinuous gut.