The first paleoparasitological analyses in Brazil are related to the Gruta do Gentio ll (GGll) an archeological site related to the beginning of the Una ceramist tradition (13,000–410 cal B.P.), with two subsistence horizons, an ancient one related do hunter-gatherers, and a more recent one related to a horticulturist population. Crucial cultural traces of Una tradition such as pottery, fabric, adornments made from animal teeth and shells, and food remnants were also identified during the GGII excavations. Coprolites, fossilized or mineralized feces are important elements in the studies on taphonomy and sedimentology, and yield valuable information on parasitological, environmental, producer origin, and diet. In the present study, GGll coprolites were submitted to morphological and morphometrical procedures to identify the probable origin of samples within the geographical location of study. The results of the identification of coprolites showed four different morphotypes including complex, flat, spherical, and cylindrical, in 10 distinct colors, distributed heterogeneously in 16 sectors and 11 stratigraphic layers, indicating a great variety of not only human but animal coprolites. With the collected data, along with previous archeological evaluations, we can propose a primary GGII paleoecological scenario, with the presence of animals and humans that used de cave in the Pleistocene and Holocene times of Southeast Brazil.
AraújoAFerreiraLF (2000) Paleoparasitology and the antiquity of human host-parasite relationships. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz95Suppl 1: 89–93.
2.
BaetenJMeesFMarinovaE, et al. (2018) Late pleistocene coprolites from Qurta (Egypt) and the potential of interdisciplinary research involving micromorphology, plant macrofossil and biomarker analyses. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology259: 93–111.
3.
BaeyerE (2010) The development and history of horticulture. Eolss Publishers, London.
4.
BarrettRKuzawaCWMcDadeT, et al. (1998) Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases: The third epidemiologic transition. Annual Review of Anthropology27(1): 247–271.
5.
Barrios-de PedroSPoyato-ArizaFJMoratallaJJ, et al. (2018) Exceptional coprolite association from the Early Cretaceous continental Lagerstätte of las Hoyas, Cuenca, Spain. PLoS One13(5).
6.
BeltrameMOSardellaNHFugassaMH, et al. (2012) A palaeoparasitological analysis of rodent coprolites from the Cueva Huenul 1 archaeological site in Patagonia (Argentina). Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz107(5): 604–608.
7.
BeltrameMOSernaACañalV, et al. (2022) Zoonotic parasites in feline coprolites from a holocenic mortuary context from eastern Patagonia (Argentina). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology32(3): 565–571.
8.
BorryMCordovaBPerriA, et al. (2020) CoproID predicts the source of coprolites and paleofeces using microbiome composition and host DNA content. PeerJ8.
9.
BucklandW (1829) XII.—On the discovery of coprolites, or fossil fæces, in the Lias at Lyme Regis, and in other formations. Transactions of the Geological Society of London3(1): 223–236.
10.
CallenECameronT (1960) A prehistoric diet as revealed in coprolites. New Scientist (8): 35–40.
11.
ChahudA (2020) Dasyproctidae e Cuniculidae (Cavioidea, Rodentia) do Pleistoceno da Gruta Cuvieri, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Revista de Biologia e Ciências da Terra. Epub ahead of print 1 January 2020.
12.
ChameM (2003) Terrestrial mammal feces: A morphometric summary and description. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz98Suppl 1: 71–94.
13.
ChessaDMurgiaMSiasE, et al. (2020) Metagenomics and microscope revealed T. Trichiura and other intestinal parasites in a cesspit of an Italian nineteenth century aristocratic palace. Scientific Reports10(1): 1.
14.
ChimentoNReyL (2008) Hallazgo de una feca fósil en el Pleistoceno Superior-Holoceno Inferior del partido de General Guido, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales10(2): 239–254.
15.
ChipmanMGreyMPufahlPK (2020) Coprolites from a brackish ecosystem in the Pennsylvanian Joggins Formation, Nova Scotia, Canada and their palaeoecological implications. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology538.
16.
CostaCLimaJCardosoL, et al. (1981) Fauna Do Cerrado. Lista Preliminar de Aves, Mamíferos e Répteis. Brasil: IBGE Biblioteca Central.
17.
DalponteJ (1997) Diet of the hoary fox, Lycalopex vetulus, in Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. undefined. Epub ahead of print 1997.
18.
de AraújoAJFerreiraLFConfalonieriUE, et al. (1985) The finding of Enterobius vermicularis eggs in pre-Columbian human coprolites. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz80(2): 141–143.
19.
DelgadoMRodríguezFKassadjikovaK, et al. (2020) A paleogenetic perspective of the Sabana de Bogotá (Northern South America) population history over the Holocene (9000 – 550 cal BP). bioRxiv. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: 2020.01.24.918425.
20.
Dentzien-DiasPCarrillo-BriceñoJDFrancischiniH, et al. (2018) Paleoecological and taphonomical aspects of the Late Miocene vertebrate coprolites (Urumaco Formation) of Venezuela. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology490: 590–603.
21.
de OliveiraFASantucciRM (2017) Criteria for recognition and taphonomy of coprolites from the Serra da Galga member, Marília Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Minas Gerais, Brazil. Journal of South American Earth Sciences78: 1–16.
22.
DiasORodriguezCCoiroloA, et al. (1979) Boletim n°8. Boletim do Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira: 40.
23.
DiasORodriguezCCoiroloA, et al. (1982) Boletim n°9. Boletim do Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira: 52.
24.
DiasORodriguezCCoiroloA, et al. (1984) Boletim n°2. Boletim do Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira: 26.
25.
FerreiraLFAraújoAReinhardK (2011) Foundations of Paleoparasitology. Editora Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro.
26.
FerreiraLFDe AraújoAJGConfalonieriUEC (1980) The finding of eggs and larvae of parasitic helminths in archaeological material from Unai, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene74(6): 798–800.
27.
FerreiraLFde AraújoAJGConfalonieriUEC (1983) The finding of helminth eggs in a Brazilian mummy. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene77(1): 65–67.
28.
FlammerPGDellicourSPrestonSG, et al. (2018) Molecular archaeoparasitology identifies cultural changes in the medieval Hanseatic trading centre of Lübeck. Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences285(1888): 20180991.
29.
FrancischiniHPaes NetoVDMartinelliAG, et al. (2016) Invertebrate traces in pseudo–coprolites from the upper Cretaceous Marília Formation (Bauru Group), Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Cretaceous Research57: 29–39.
30.
FugassaMHAraújoAGuichónRA (2006) Quantitative paleoparasitology applied to archaeological sediments. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz101Suppl 2: 29–33.
31.
GurjãoLL (2020) Estudo Paleoparasitológico E Paleogenético Do Sítio Arqueológico Pré-Colombiano Gruta Do Gentio Ll, Unaí, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Dissertation. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.
32.
HarshbergerJW (1896) The purposes of ethno-Botany. Botanical Gazette21(3): 146–154.
33.
HongJHOhCSSeoM, et al. (2019) Analysis of COI and ITS2 regions of DNA obtained from Paragonimus westermani eggs in ancient coprolites on Joseon dynasty mummies. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz114.
34.
IñiguezAM (2020) Ancient DNA and paleoparasitology in Brazil. In: ShinDHBianucciR (eds) The Handbook of Mummy Studies: New Frontiers in Scientific and Cultural Perspectives. Singapore: Springer, pp.1–34.
35.
IñiguezAMAraújoAFerreiraLF, et al. (2003) Analysis of ancient DNA from coprolites: A perspective with random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction approach. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz98Suppl 1: 63–65.
36.
JacobsonDKHonapTPMonroeC, et al. (2020) Functional diversity of microbial ecologies estimated from ancient human coprolites and dental calculus. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A375(1812).
37.
Jouy-AvantinFDebenathAMoigneA-M, et al. (2003) A standardized method for the description and the study of Coprolites. Journal of Archaeological Science30(3): 367–372.
38.
KarpinskiEMeadJIPoinarHN (2017) Molecular identification of paleofeces from Bechan Cave, southeastern Utah, USA. Quaternary International443: 140–146.
39.
KerberL (2018) Imigrantes em um continente perdido: O registro fossilífero de roedores Caviomorpha (Mammalia: Rodentia: Ctenohystrica) do Cenozoico do Brasil. Terrae Didatica13(3): 185–211.
40.
LutzA (1919) O Schistosomum mansoni e a schistosomatose segundo observações, feitas no Brazil. Memorias Do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz11(1): 121–155.
41.
PalacioPBerthonaudVGuérinC, et al. (2017) Genome data on the extinct Bison schoetensacki establish it as a sister species of the extant European bison (Bison bonasus). BMC Evolutionary Biology17(1): 48.
42.
PorruEGiorgiETurroniS, et al. (2021) Bile acids and oxo-metabolites as markers of human faecal input in the ancient Pompeii ruins. Scientific Reports11(1): 3650.
43.
PucuERussJReinhardK (2020) Diet analysis reveals pre-historic meals among the Loma San Gabriel at La Cueva de Los Muertos Chiquitos, Rio Zape, Mexico (600–800 CE). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences12(1): 25.
44.
QvarnströmMAnagnostakisSLindskogA, et al. (2019) Multi-proxy analyses of Late Cretaceous coprolites from Germany. Lethaia52(4): 550–569.
RakshitNBhatMSMukherjeeD, et al. (2019) First record of Mesozoic scroll coprolites: Classification, characteristics, elemental composition and probable producers. Palaeontology62(3): 451–471.
47.
ReinhardKBryantVJr (2008) Pathoecology and the future of coprolite studies in bioarchaeology. Epub ahead of print 2008.
48.
ReinhardKJFerreiraLFBouchetF, et al. (2013) Food, parasites, and epidemiological transitions: A broad perspective. International Journal of Paleopathology3(3): 150–157.
49.
RhodeD (2003) Coprolites from Hidden Cave, revisited: Evidence for site occupation history, diet and sex of occupants. Journal of Archaeological Science30(7): 909–922.
50.
RodriguesMICda SilvaJHSantosFEP, et al. (2018) Physicochemical analysis of Permian coprolites from Brazil. Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy189: 93–99.
51.
Salvadores-CerdaLRamírez-MercadoF (2020) Coprolites as proxies for Paleoparasitology at Pilauco. In: PinoMAstorgaGA (eds) Pilauco: A Late Pleistocene Archaeo-Paleontological Site: Osorno, Northwestern Patagonia and Chile. The Latin American Studies Book Series. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp.213–230.
52.
Scheel-YbertR (2013) Antracologia: preservados pelo fogo. Abordagens Estratégicas Em Sambaquis: 193–218.
53.
SedaPRGMachadoCLSeneGM, et al. (2011) Do cerrado ao mar: A tradição una no litoral do Espírito Santo. Revista Maracanan7(7): 55–82.
54.
SeilacherAReifW-EWestphalF (1985) Sedimentological, ecological and temporal patterns of fossil Lagerstätten. Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences311(1148): 5–24.
55.
SeneG (1999) Rituais Funerários e Processos Culturais : Os Caçadores-coletores e horticultores Pré-Históricos do Noroeste de Minas Gerais. Epub ahead of print 1999.
56.
SeneG (2007) Indicadores de Gênero Na Pré-História Brasileira: Contexto Funerário, Simbolismo e Diferenciação Social - O Sítio Arqueológico Gruta Do Gentio II, Unaí, Minas Gerais. Tese de Doutorado: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo.
57.
ShillitoL-MWheltonHLBlongJC, et al. (2020) Pre-Clovis occupation of the Americas identified by human fecal biomarkers in coprolites from Paisley Caves, Oregon. Science Advances6(29).
58.
TavaroneARamírezDAGonzálezC, et al. (2020) Multidisciplinary perspectives on the study of ancient diet and oral health. A case study from the central region of Argentina. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences12(2): 47.
59.
TaylorAHutsonJMBryantVM, et al. (2020) Dietary items in early to late Holocene human coprolites from Paisley Caves, Oregon, USA. Palynology44(1): 12–23.
60.
Teixeira-SantosISiantoLAraújoA, et al. (2015) The evidence of medicinal plants in human sediments from Furna do Estrago prehistoric site, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Quaternary International377: 112–117.
61.
ThulbornRA (1991) Morphology, preservation and palaeobiological significance of dinosaur copralites. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology83(4): 341–366.
62.
VasconcelosAGMeyerKEBCampelloMS (2015) Mamíferos Quaternários da Cavidade ES-08, município de prudente de Morais, Minas Gerais: Análises Tafonômica e Taxonômica. Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia18(1): 171–190.
63.
VerostickKATeixeira-SantosIBryantVMJr, et al. (2019) The Skiles mummy: Care of a debilitated hunter-gatherer evidenced by coprolite studies and stable isotopic analysis of hair. International Journal of Paleopathology25: 82–90.
64.
YangLZhangXZhaoX, et al. (2022) The technological advance and application of coprolite analysis. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution9.
65.
ZhangYvan GeelBGoslingWD, et al. (2019) Local vegetation patterns of a Neolithic environment at the site of Tianluoshan, China, based on coprolite analysis. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology271.
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
