Climatic change in northeastern Brazil: paleoparasitological data

Abstract

Trichuris eggs were observed in Kerodon rupestris coprolites dated 9,000 years before present, collected in archeological sites of São Raimundo Nonato, northeastern Brazil. However, present day local rodents seem not to be infected by the parasite, suggesting its disappearence due to climatic changes.

Keywords

• Trichuris
• paleoparasitology
• coprolites
• paleobiology
• parasite ecology