title: First paleoparasitological record of digenean eggs from a native deer from Patagonia Argentina (Cueva Parque Diana archaeological site).
abstract: Eggs representative of a digenean species were found in coprolites belonged to an endemic deer from Patagonia. Samples were collected from the archaeological site named "Cueva Parque Diana". This site is a cave located at the Lanín National Park, Neuquén Province, Argentina. The coprolites were dated from 2370±70 to 580±60 years B.P. The eggs were ellipsoidal, operculated, yellowish and thin-shelled. Measurements (n=65) ranged from 120.0 to 142.5 (133.2±6.53) μm long and 62.5 to 87.5 (72.6±6.15) μm wide. Eggs were well-preserved and were identified as belonged to Class Trematoda, Subclass Digenea, similar to those of Fasciola hepatica or with another species not identified at present from Patagonia. This is the first report of digenean eggs from ancient deer worldwide. The present study confirms the presence of representatives of digenean species in endemic deer from Patagonia in ancient times and the presence of a trematode disease prior to the arrival of European cattle.
authors.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 2550, 7600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: ornelabeltrame@conicet.gov.ar.
authors.forename: Beltrame
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: María Ornela
authors.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 2550, 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.
authors.forename: Tietze
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eleonor
authors.affiliation: Universidad Maimónides, Laboratorio de Arqueología y Etnohistoria, Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara, Cte. Díaz S/N, 8370, San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pérez
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alberto Enrique
authors.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 2550, 7600, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Sardella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norma Haydeé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D003670:Deer / Q000469:parasitology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005580:Fossils / Q000469:parasitology*; D049690:History, Ancient; D010063:Ovum; D014200:Trematoda / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014201:Trematode Infections / Q000266:history / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Argentina; Coprolites; Paleoparasitology; Ruminant; Trematode