Ampliación de los estudios parasitológicos en camélidos del sitio arqueológico Cerro Casa de Piedra 7, Santa Cruz, Argentina

Abstract

The present work increases the knowledge about the intestinal parasitism of camelids from Cerro Casa de Piedra 7 (CCP7) archaeological site during the last 10000 years. Coprolites assigned to camelids collected from 9 stratigraphic levels were examined. The comparison between new information and from previous studies of CCP7 site showed similar results. There was a recurrence of certain intestinal parasites throughout the whole stratigraphic sequence: molineids assimilable to Lamanema / Nematodirus genus were present in all samples, whereas Calodium sp. and E. macusaniensis in 78% and 67% of samples, respectively. This parasites community stability contrasts with the few reports of these enteroparasites in current camelids suggesting a low prevalence in the present. Ecological events such as the introduction of cattle and the subsequent invasion of new enteroparasites may probably explain these contrasts between pre-Hispanic and the present times.