Paleoparasitological investigation of fossils from Mahnevskaya ice cave (Perm region)

Fossils from various animals are great interest to paleoparasitology. We recorded the relative safety of animal feces in the dry inner grotto of one of the caves of the Mahnеvskiy rock massif (North of the Perm region). Bone remains of mammals of at least two time warm periods were found in the grotto deposits. Most of them from the surface layer of the grotto has an average age (~6000 years). It is in this layer that excrement that belongs to rodents, hares, insectivorous mammals and bats is well preserved. Discovered during the excavation of the fossil excrement of animals rehydrated during the week of sodium phosphate 0.5% solution and examined by the combined method with a solution of ammonium nitrate and with sedimentation. As a result, a large number of Dicrocoelium lanceatum Stiles et Hassal, 1896 eggs were found in the presented sub-fossilized material. Dicrocoelium eggs are relatively frequent finding on pa-leoparasitological studies worldwide, which, apparently, is not only a wide spread of dicrocoeliasis, but also high degree of resistance of eggs of this parasite to environmental conditions that allows them to maintain a morphological structure for a long period.