Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T01:13:09.108Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Parasites and the fossil record

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

S. Conway Morris
S. Conway Morris
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Parasitologists are fond of alluding to the possible antiquity of their chosen group. They may even place the origin in a specific period of geological time and trace its co-evolution, or lack thereof, with the hosts. These speculations usually make only passing comments on the actual fossil record, but a critical examination suggests that this area can throw much light on both the origins and evolution of parasitism. This review is concerned primarily with the fossil record and its immediate implications. It does not appraise parasite evolution in the light of evidence from sources, often of excellent quality, such as comparative anatomy and physiology or ecology. As some parasitologists may not be entirely familiar with the geological column and time scale, Table 1 depicts these and indicates some records of parasitism mentioned here, together with the major events in this history of life.

Type
Trends and Perspectives
Information
Parasitology , Volume 82 , Issue 3 , June 1981 , pp. 489 - 509
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Alvin, K. L., Barnard, P. D. W., Harris, T. M., Hughes, N. F., Wagner, R. H. & Wesley, A. (1967). Gymnospermophyta. In The Fossil Record (ed. Harland, W. B.), pp. 247–268. London: Geological Society of London.Google Scholar
Bachmayer, F. (1948). Pathogene Wucherungen bei jurassischen Dekapoden. Sitzungsberichte der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Abt. 1 157, 263–6.Google Scholar
Bachmayer, F. (1965). Die fossilen Asseln aus den Oberjuraschichten von Ernstbruun in Niederösterreich und von Stramberg in Mahren. Sitzungsberichte der österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Abt. 1 164, 255–73.Google Scholar
Baxter, R. W. (1975). Fossil fungi from American Pennsylvanian coal balls. Paleontological Contributions, University of Kansas 77, 1–6.Google Scholar
Bergström, J. (1973). Organization, life, and systematics of trilobites. Fossils and Strata 2, 1–69.Google Scholar
Bowsher, A. L. (1955). Origin and adaptation of platyceratid gastropods. Paleontological Contributions. University of Kansas 5, 1–11.Google Scholar
Brett, C. E. (1978). Host-specific pit-forming epizoans on Silurian crinoids. Lethaia 11, 217–32.Google Scholar
Brown, R. W. (1940). Fossil pearls from the Colorado group of Western Kansas. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 30, 365–74.Google Scholar
Chatterton, B. D. E. (1975). A commensal relationship between a small filter feeding organism and Australian Devonian spiriferid brachiopods. Paleobiology 1, 371–8.Google Scholar
Clarke, J. M. (1921). Organic dependence and disease. Bulletin of the New York State Museum 221, 222, 1–113.Google Scholar
Morris, Conway S. (1977). Fossil priapulid worms. Special Papers in Palaeontology 20, 1–95.Google Scholar
Cressey, R. & Patterson, C. (1973). Fossil parasitic copepods from a Lower Cretaceous fish. Science 180, 1283–5.Google Scholar
Crompton, D. W. T. (1975). Relationships between Acanthocephala and their hosts. Symposia of the Society for Experimental Biology 29, 467–504.Google Scholar
Crowther, P. & Rickards, B. (1977). Cortical bandages and the graptolite zooid. Geologica et Palaeontologica 11, 9–46.Google Scholar
Dean, B. (1902). The preservation of muscle-fibres in sharks of the Cleveland Shale. American Geologist 30, 273–8.Google Scholar
Dollfus, R. Ph. (1950). Liste des némathelminthes connus à l'état fossile. Bulletin de la Société de France. Compte rendu Sommaire des Seances, 20, Ser. 5, 82–5.Google Scholar
Dubinin, V. B. (1948). Pleistocene fleas (Anoploura) and nematodes found in a study of fossil sousliks from the basin of the River Indiquirka. (North-east Siberia). Doklady Akademii nauk SSSR 62, 417–20. (In Russian).Google Scholar
Dubinina, M. N. (1972). The nematode Alfortia edentatus (Looss, 1900) from the intestine of an Upper Pleistocene horse. Parazitologia 6, 441–3. (In Russian).Google Scholar
Ehrenberg, K. (1933 a). Über eine bemerkenswerte Crinoidenstiel-Deformität. Palaeo-biologica 5, 201–10.Google Scholar
Ehrenberg, K. (1933 b). Ein mutmasslicher Fall von Parasitismus bei der devonischen Crinoidengattung Edriocrinus. Biologia generalis 9, 85–96.Google Scholar
Etheridge, R. (1880). Observations on the swollen condition of Carboniferous crinoid stems. Proceedings of the Natural History Society of Glasgow 9, 19–36.Google Scholar
Ewers, W. H. (1964). An analysis of the molluscan hosts of the trematodes of birds and mammals and some speculations on host-specificity. Parasitology 54, 571–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferris, V. R., Goseco, C. G. & Ferris, J. M. (1976). Biogeography of free-living soil nematodes from the perspective of plate tectonics. Science 193, 508–10.Google Scholar
Förster, R. (1969). Epökie, Entökie, Parasitismus und Regeneration bei fossilen Dekapoden. Mitteilungen der Bayerischen Staatissmus palaontologischen, historischen und geologischen 9, 45–59.Google Scholar
Franzen, C. (1974). Epizoans on Silurian-Devonian crinoids. Lethaia 7, 287–301.Google Scholar
Frest, T. J., Mikulic, D. G. & Paul, C. R. C. (1977). New information on the Holocystites fauna (Diploporita) of the Middle Silurian of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. Fieldiana: Geology 35, 83–108.Google Scholar
Geczy, B. (1954). Cyclolites (Anth.) tanulmanyok. Geologica Hungarica, Seria palaeontologica 24, 1–180.Google Scholar
Germs, G. J. B. (1972). New shelly fossils from Nama Group, South West Africa. American Journal of Science 272, 752–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glenister, B. F., Klapper, G. & Chauff, K. M. (1976). Conodont pearls? Science 193, 571–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Golvan, Y. J. (1958). Le phylum des Acanthocephala. Première note. Sa place dans I'echelle zoologique. Annales de parasitologie humaine et comparée 33, 538–602.Google Scholar
Gooch, P. S. (1975). Helminths in archaeological and pre-historic deposits. Annotated Bibliography of the Commonwealth Institute of Helminthology, 9, 1–15.Google Scholar
Graeber, K. & Storch, V. (1978). Elektronenmikroskopische und morphometrische Unter suchungen am Integument der Acanthocephala (Aschelminthes). Zeitschrift fur Parasitenkunde 57, 121–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graff, L. von (1885). Ueber einige Deformitaten an fossilen Crinoiden. Palaeontographica 31, 183–91.Google Scholar
Heyden, C. (1860). Mermis antiqua, ein fossiler Eingeweidewurm. Stettiner entomologische Zeitung 21, 38.Google Scholar
Heyden, C. (1862). Gliederthiere aus der Braunkohle des Niederrhein's, der Wetterau und der Rohn. Palaeontographica 10, 62–82.Google Scholar
Housa, V. (1963). Parasites of Tithonian decapod crustaceans (Stramberk, Moravia). Sbornik Ustredniho ustavu geologickeho 28, 101–14.Google Scholar
Inglis, W. G. (1965). Patterns of evolution in parasitic nematodes. In Evolution of Parasites, 3rd Symposium of the British Society for Parasitology (ed. Taylor, A. E. R.), pp. 79–124. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Inglis, W. G. (1971). Speciation in parasitic nematodes. In Advances in Parasitology, vol. 9 (ed. Dawes, B.) pp. 185–223. London and New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Jackson, D. E. (1971). Development of Glyptograptus hudsoni sp. nov. from Southampton Island, North-West Territories, Canada. Palaeontology 14, 478–86.Google Scholar
Kevan, P. G., Chaloner, W. G. & Savile, D. B. O. (1975). Interrelationships of early terrestrial arthropods and plants. Palaeontology 18, 391–417.Google Scholar
Kozlowski, R. (1967). Sur certains fossiles Ordoviciens à test organique. Acta palaeontologica polonica 12, 99–132.Google Scholar
Kozlowski, R. (1970). Tubotheca – a peculiar morphological element in some graptolites. Acta palaeontologica polonica 15, 393–410.Google Scholar
Kozur, H. (1970). Fossile Hirudinea aus dem Oberjura von Bayern. Lethaia 3, 225–32.Google Scholar
Lamont, A. (1975). Cambrian trilobites from the Pass of Leny, Perthshire, Scotland. Scottish Journal of Science 1, 199–215.Google Scholar
Lane, N. G. (1973). Paleontology and paleoecology of the Crawfordsville fossil site (Upper Osagian, Indiana). University of California Publications in Geological Sciences 99, 1–141.Google Scholar
Lane, N. G. (1978). Mutualistic relations of fossil crinoids. In Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, (ed. Moore, R. C. and Teichert, C.), pp. T 345–347. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press and Geological Society of America.Google Scholar
Larsson, K. (1979). Silurian tentaculitids from Gotland and Scania. Fossils and Strata 11, 1–180.Google Scholar
Levin, H. L. & Fay, R. O. (1964). The relationship between Diploblastus kirkwoodensis and Platyceras (Platyceras). Oklahoma Geology Notes 24, 22–9.Google Scholar
Lesquereux, L. (1892). The flora of the Dakota Group. Monograph of the United States Geological Survey 17, 1–400.Google Scholar
Llewellyn, J. (1965). The evolution of parasitic platyhelminths. In Evolution of Parasites, 3rd Symposium of the British Society for Parasitology, (ed. Taylor, A. E. R.) pp. 47–78. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Ludvigsen, R. (1979). A trilobite zonation of Middle Ordovician rocks, southwestern District of Mackenzie. Bulletin, Geological Survey of Canada 312, 1–98.Google Scholar
MacKinnon, D. I. & Biernat, G. (1970). The probable affinities of the trace fossil Diorygma atrypophilia. Lethaia 3, 163–72.Google Scholar
Madsen, N. & Wolff, T. (1965). Evidence of the occurrence of Ascothoracica (parasitic cirripedes) in Upper Cretaceous. Meddelelser fra Dansk geologisk Forening 15, 556–8.Google Scholar
Manter, H. W. (1967). Some aspects of the geographical distribution of parasites. Journal of Parasitology 53, 1–9.Google Scholar
Margara, J. (1946). Existence de zoothylacies chez des Clypéastres (Echinodermes) de l'Helvétien du Proche-Orient. Bulletin du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle 18, Ser. 2 423–7.Google Scholar
M'Coy, F. (1849). On the classification of some British fossil Crustacea, with notices of new forms in the University Collection at Cambridge. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4, Ser. 2, 161–79 and 392–414.Google Scholar
Menge, A. (1866). Ueber ein Rhipidopteron und einige andere im Bernstein eingeschlossene Thiere. Schriften der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Danzig 3, Ser. 8, 12–15.Google Scholar
Mercier, J. (1931). Note sur des crinoides parasites de la couche à Leptaena (Toarcien) de May-sur-Orne. Bulletin de la Société linnéenne de Normandie 3, 12–15.Google Scholar
Mercier, J. (1936). Zoothylacies d'échinide fossile provoquées par un crustacé: Castexia douvillei nov.gen., nov.sp. Bulletin de la Société geologique de France 6, Ser. 5, 149–54.Google Scholar
Meyer, A. (1933). Acanthocephala. In H. G. Bronns Klassen und Ordnungen des Tierreichs, Band IV, 2, II, pp. 582.Google Scholar
Moodie, R. L. (1923). Paleopathology. An introduction to the Study of Ancient Evidences of Disease. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.Google Scholar
Moussa, M. T. (1969). Nematode fossil tracks of Eocene age from Utah. Nematologica 15, 376–80.Google Scholar
Moussa, M. T. (1970). Nematode fossil trails from the Green River Formation (Eocene) in the Uinta Basin, Utah. Journal of Paleontology 44, 304–7.Google Scholar
Müller, K. J. (1979). Phosphatocopine ostracodes with preserved appendages from the Upper Cambrian of Sweden. Lethaia 12, 1–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Müller, K. J. & Nogami, Y. (1972). Entöken und Bohrspuren bei den Conodontophorida. Palaontologische Zeitschrift 46, 68–86.Google Scholar
Müller, K. J., Nogami, Y. & Lenz, H. (1974). Phosphatische Ringe als Mikrofossilien im Altpalaozoikum. Palaeontographica, Abt. A, 146, 79–99.Google Scholar
Nicholas, W. L. (1971). The evolutionary origins of the Acanthocephala. Journal of Parasitology 57, 84–7.Google Scholar
Osche, G. (1983). Morphological, biological, and ecological considerations in the phylogeny of parasitic nematodes. In The Lower Metazoa. Comparative Biology and Phylogeny, (ed. Dougherty, E. C.), pp. 283–302. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Palij, V. M., Posti, E. & Fedonkin, M. A. (1979). Soft-bodied Metazoa and trace fossils of Vendian and Lower Cambrian. In Upper Precambrian and Cambrian Paleontology of East-European Platform (ed. Keller, B. M. and Rozanov, A. Yu.), pp. 49–82. Moscow: Academy of Sciences. (In Russian.)Google Scholar
Pan, C-T. (1963). Generalized and focal tissue responses in the snail, Australorbis glabratus, infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 113, 475–85.Google Scholar
Paul, C. R. C. (1971). Revision of the Holocystites fauna (Diploporita) of North America. Fieldiana: Geology 24, 1–166.Google Scholar
Peach, B. N. (1894). Additions to the fauna of the Olenellus-Zone of the North-West Highlands. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 50, 661–76.Google Scholar
Pierce, W. D. (1960). Silicified Turbellaria from Calico Mountains nodules. Bulletin of the South California Academy of Sciences 59, 138–43.Google Scholar
Pierce, W. D. (1964). Three new types of invertebrates extracted from Miocene petroliferous nodules. Bulletin of the South California Academy of Sciences 63, 81–5.Google Scholar
Poinar, G. O. (1977). Fossil nematodes from Mexican amber. Nematologica 23, 232–8.Google Scholar
Ponomarenko, A. G. (1976). A new insect from the Cretaceous of Transbaikalia, a possible parasite of pterosaurians. Palaeontology Journal 10, 339–43.Google Scholar
Potonie, H. (1893). Die Flora des rothliegenden von Thüringen. Abhandlungen des preussischen geologischen Landesanstalt 2, 1–298.Google Scholar
Price, P. W. (1977). General concepts on the evolutionary biology of parasites. Evolution 31, 405–20.Google Scholar
Radwanski, A. (1972). Isopod-infected prosoponids from Upper Jurassic, Poland. Acta geologica polonica 22, 499–506.Google Scholar
Rathbun, M. J. (1916). Description of a new genus and species of fossil crab from Port Townsend, Washington. American Journal of Science 41, 344–6.Google Scholar
Regnell, G. (1966). Edrioasteroids. In Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, (ed. Moore, R. C.), pp. U136–173. Lawrence: Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press.Google Scholar
Repetski, J. E. (1977). A fish from the Upper Cambrian of North America. Science 200, 529–31.Google Scholar
Richards, R. P. (1974). Ecology of the Cornulitidae. Journal of Paleontology 48, 514–23.Google Scholar
Richter, R. & Richter, E. (1934). Missbildungen bei Scutellidae und konstruktive Konvergenzen. Senckenbergiana 16, 155–60.Google Scholar
Riek, E. F. (1970). Lower Cretaceous fleas. Nature, London 227, 746–7.Google Scholar
Robison, R. A. (1972). Hypostoma of agnostid trilobites. Lethaia 5, 239–48.Google Scholar
Roman, J. (1952). Quelques anomalies chez Clypeaster melitensis Michelin. Bulletin de la Société géologique de France 2, Ser. 6, 3–11.Google Scholar
Roman, J. (1953). Galles de myzostomides chez les clypéastres de Turquie. Bulletin du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle 25, 650–4.Google Scholar
Rothschild, M. (1936). Gigantism and variation in Peringia ulvae Pennant 1777, caused by infection with larval trematodes. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 20, Ser. 5, 309–15.Google Scholar
Saint-Seine, R. (1951). Lésions et régénération chez le Micraster. Bulletin de la Société geologique de France 20, 309–15.Google Scholar
Schmidt, F. (1906). Revision der ostbaltischen silurischen Trilobiten, nebst geognostischen Übersicht. Mémoires de l'Academie impériale des Sciences de St-Petersbough 10, 1–62.Google Scholar
Schram, F. R. (1973). Pseudocoelomates and a nemertine from the Illinois Pennsylvanian. Journal of Paleontology 47, 985–9.Google Scholar
Sciacchitano, I. (1955). Su un Gordio fossile. Monitore zoologico italiano 63, 57–61.Google Scholar
Scott, A. C. (1977). Coprolites containing plant material from the Carboniferous of Britain. Palaeontology 20, 59–68.Google Scholar
Scrutton, C. T. (1975). Hydroid-serpulid symbiosis in the Mesozoic and Tertiary. Palaeontology 18, 255–74.Google Scholar
Sepkoski, J. J. (1979). A kinetic model of Phanerozoic taxonomic diversity II. Early Phanerozoic families and multiple equilibria. Paleobiology 5, 222–51.Google Scholar
Sieverts-Doreck, H. (1963). Über Missbildungen bei Cupressocrinus elongatus aus dem Mitteldevon der Eifel. Decheniana 115, 239–44.Google Scholar
Sliter, W. V. (1971). Predation on benthic foraminifers. Journal of Foraminiferal Research 1, 20–9.Google Scholar
Snajdr, M. (1978). Anomalous carapaces of Bohemian paradoxid trilobites. Sbornik Ustred-niho ustavu geologickeho 20, 7–31.Google Scholar
Solov'yev, A. N. (1961). A parasite in late Jurassic sea-urchins. Paleontologicheskii zhurnal, 4, 115–19. (In Russian.)Google Scholar
Solem, A. (1979). Biogeographic significance of land snails, Paleozoic to Recent. In Historical Biogeography, Plate Tectonics, and the Changing Environment (ed. Gray, J. and Boucot, A. J.), pp. 277–87. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press.Google Scholar
Stanley, S. M. (1979). Macroevolution, pattern and process. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.Google Scholar
Størmer, L. (1963). Gigantoscorpio willsi a new scorpion from the Lower Carboniferous of Scotland and its associated preying microorganisms. Skrifter utgitt av det Norske videnskaps-akademi i Oslo 8, 1–171.Google Scholar
Sturrock, R. F. & Sturrock, B. M. (1971). Shell abnormalities in Biomphalaria glabrata infected with Schistosoma mansoni and their significance in field transmission studies. Journal of Helminthology 45, 201–10.Google Scholar
Sudhaus, W. (1974). Nematoden (insbesondere Rhabditiden) des Strandanwurfs und ihre Beziehungen zu Krebsen. Faunistisch–Okologische Mitteilungen, 4, 365–400.Google Scholar
Szorenyi, E. (1955). Echinides Crétacés de la montagne Bakony. Geologica hungarica, seria palaeontologica 26, 149–281.Google Scholar
Tasnadi-Kubacska, A. (1962). Paläpathologie, pathologie der Vorzeitlichen Tiere. Jena: Gustav Fischer Verlag.Google Scholar
Taylor, A. L. (1935). A review of the fossil nematodes. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington 2 (11), 47–9.Google Scholar
Tetry, A. (1936). Déformation parasitaire sur la tige d'un Pentacrinus du Lias. Archives de zoologie expérimentale et générale 78, 8–12.Google Scholar
Thayer, C. W. (1974). Substrate specificity of Devonian epizoa. Journal of Paleontology 48, 881–94.Google Scholar
Urbanek, A. (1958). Monograptidae from erratic boulders of Poland. Palaeontologia polonica 9, 1–105.Google Scholar
Van Cleave, H. J. (1947). The Eoacanthocephala of North America, including the description of Eocollis arcanus, new genus and new species, superficially resembling the genus Pomphorhynchus. Journal of Parasitology 33, 285–96.Google Scholar
Vereshchagin, N. K. (1975). The mammoth from the Shandrin River. Vestnik Zoologii Kiev 2, 81–4. (In Russian.)Google Scholar
Vermeij, G. J. (1977). The Mesozoic marine revolution: evidence from snails, predators and grazers. Paleobiology 3, 245–58.Google Scholar
Voigt, E. (1938). Ein fossiler Saitenwurm (Gordius tenuifibrosus, n.sp.) aus der eozanen Braunkohle des Geiseltales. Nova acta Leopoldina 5, 351–60.Google Scholar
Voigt, E. (1957). Ein parasitischer Nematode in fossiler Coleopteren-Muskulatur aus der eozanen Braunkohle des Geiseltales bei Hale (Saale). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 31, 35–9.Google Scholar
Voigt, E. (1959). Endosacculus moltkiae. n.g.n.sp., ein vermutlicher fossiler Ascothoracide (Entomostr.) ala Cystenbildner bei der Oktokoralle Moltkia minuta. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 33, 211–23.Google Scholar
Voigt, E. (1967). Ein vermutlicher Ascothoracide (Endosacculus (?) najdini n.sp.) ala Bewohner einer kretazischen Isis aus der UdSSR. Paleontologische Zeitschrift 41, 86–90.Google Scholar
Warn, J. M. (1974). Presumed myzostomid infestation of an Ordovician crinoid. Journal of Paleontology 48, 506–13.Google Scholar
Welch, J. R. (1976). Phosphannulus on Paleozoic crinoid stems. Journal of Paleontology 50, 218–25.Google Scholar
Whitfield, P. J. (1971 a). The locomotion of the acanthor of Moniliformis dubius (Archiacanthocephala). Parasitology 62, 35–47.Google Scholar
Whitfield, P. J. (1971 b). Phylogenetic affinities of Acanthocephala: an assessment of ultrastructural evidence. Parasitology 63, 49–58.Google Scholar
Yakovlev, N. N. (1922). Über den Parasitismus der Wurmer Myzostomidae auf den palaozoischen Crinoiden. Zoologisches Anzeiger 54, 287–91.Google Scholar
Yakovlev, N. N. (1939). Sur la découverte d''un parasite original des crinoides marins du Carbonifère. Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 22, 146–8.Google Scholar