Coprolite
samples of human and animal origin from the excavations performed at the archaeological
site of Furna do Estrago, at Brejo da Madre de Deus in the state of Pernambuco,
Brazil and sent to the Paleoparasitology Laboratory at Escola Nacional de Saúde
Pública-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, were analyzed for mites. After rehydratation
and sedimentation of the coprolites, the alimentary contents and the sediments
were examined and the mites collected and prepared in definitive whole mounts,
using Hoyer's medium. Mites of the following suborders and orders were recovered:
suborder Acaridia; order Gamasida; order Ixodida with the familiy Ixodidae (Ixodes
sp. and Amblyomma sp. larvae, scutum, idiosoma, gnathosoma); order Oribatida (
Aphelacarus
sp.,
Apolohmannia
sp.,
Eophypochthonius
sp.,
Cosmochthonius
sp.,
Pterobates
sp.,
Poronoticae with pteromorphae not auriculate); order Astigmata with the families
Atopomelidae (
Chirodiscoides caviae
),
Anoetidae hypopus
,
Acaridae (
Suidasia pontifica
), Glycyphagidae (
Blomia tropicalis
), Pyroglyphidae (
Hirstia passericola
);
order Actinedida with the family Tarsonemidae (
Iponemus radiatae
).
The present work discusses the possibility of the preservation of the mite groups
found up to the present day. We also discuss their relationship with the environment
and their importance to present populations.
