17
Fig. 1.2). The focal host taxa can be as broad as an entire class or as narrow as a
single species. The same also applies to the parasite taxa being examined which can
be as broad as different phyla or as specific as different families within a given order
(for example, comparing different families of animal-infecting nematodes which
have different life-cycles and transmission pathways).
Through a combination of EPB and Ecological Fitting, one can deduce a list of
potential parasites which are likely to have associated with a given extinct vertebrate taxa, and based on that, guide potential searches for fossils of said parasites
Fig. 1.2 A method for using host characteristics to infer the potential parasite community of a
fossil taxa. Here Tyrannosaurus rex is used as an example, and the parasite taxa represented are
based on the groups discussed in this chapter. Each row represents a given host characteristic,
while each column represents a different parasite taxon. Check mark denotes that the characteristic
predisposes the host to being infected with that given parasite type. Dash denotes the characteristic
having neutral or no effect on the likelihood of harbouring such parasite type. Cross denotes the
characteristic would exclude such parasite taxa as having occurred on/in the host. A single cross
associated with any of the host characteristics will conclusively exclude the existence of said parasite taxon from the host taxon, even if other characteristics may theoretically predispose the
host to it
1 Parasites of Fossil Vertebrates: What We Know and What Can We Expect…
Fig. 1.2). The focal host taxa can be as broad as an entire class or as narrow as a
single species. The same also applies to the parasite taxa being examined which can
be as broad as different phyla or as specific as different families within a given order
(for example, comparing different families of animal-infecting nematodes which
have different life-cycles and transmission pathways).
Through a combination of EPB and Ecological Fitting, one can deduce a list of
potential parasites which are likely to have associated with a given extinct vertebrate taxa, and based on that, guide potential searches for fossils of said parasites
Fig. 1.2 A method for using host characteristics to infer the potential parasite community of a
fossil taxa. Here Tyrannosaurus rex is used as an example, and the parasite taxa represented are
based on the groups discussed in this chapter. Each row represents a given host characteristic,
while each column represents a different parasite taxon. Check mark denotes that the characteristic
predisposes the host to being infected with that given parasite type. Dash denotes the characteristic
having neutral or no effect on the likelihood of harbouring such parasite type. Cross denotes the
characteristic would exclude such parasite taxa as having occurred on/in the host. A single cross
associated with any of the host characteristics will conclusively exclude the existence of said parasite taxon from the host taxon, even if other characteristics may theoretically predispose the
host to it
1 Parasites of Fossil Vertebrates: What We Know and What Can We Expect…