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Parasitological study of mountain viscacha fecal pellets from patagonia over the last 1200 years (‘Cueva Peligro’, Chubut province, Argentina)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2018

María Ornela Beltrame*
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Paleoparasitología y Arqueología Contextual, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Juan B Justo 2250, 7600 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Victoria Cañal
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Paleoparasitología y Arqueología Contextual, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Juan B Justo 2250, 7600 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Eleonor Tietze
Affiliation:
Laboratorio de Paleoparasitología y Arqueología Contextual, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Juan B Justo 2250, 7600 Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina Grupo de Ecología y Paleoecología de ambientes continentales, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Juan B. Justo 2550, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Daniela De Tommaso
Affiliation:
Instituto de Diversidad y Biología Austral, Centro Nacional Patagónico (IDEAus-CENPAT). Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
*
Author for correspondence: Beltrame María Ornela, E-mail: ornelabeltrame@conicet.gov.ar

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the parasite fauna present in mountain viscacha Lagidium viscacia (Caviomorpha, Chinchillidae) fecal pellets collected from ‘Cueva Peligro’, a cave located in Chubut province, Patagonia, Argentina, throughout the last 1200 years. A total of 84 samples were examined for parasites. Each pellet was whole processed: rehydrated, homogenized, sediment and examined using light microscopy. The samples and eggs of parasites present were described, measured and photographed. Thirty-eight samples tested positive for the nematodes Heteroxynema (Cavioxyura) viscaciae Sutton & Hugot, 1989, Helminthoxys effilatus Schuurmans-Stekhoven, 1951 (Oxyurida: Oxyuridae), Trichuris sp. Roederer, 1761 (Trichinellida: Trichuridae) and one anoplocephalid species (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae). This is the first time that H. effilatus is reported from ancient times. Significant differences of parasite occurrences through this temporal period were recorded. Parasitic life cycles and their presence along the studied period are so discussed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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