SIGNIFICANT VERTEBRATE COPROLITE ICHNOASSEMBLAGES IN NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AREAS

Vertebrate coprolites are an understudied resource in many National Park Service (NPS) areas. Approximately 12 National Parks and Monuments contain vertebrate coprolites. The three most important ichnoassemblages are at Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO), Badlands National Park (BADL) and Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA). These ichnoassemblages represent three of the acme zones for vertebrate coprolites in North America: Late Triassic at PEFO (Chinle Group), Eocene-Oligocene at BADL (White River Group) and Pleistocene at GRCA (cave deposits) and have been central to recent work on paleoecology and biochronology.

The Blue Mesa and Painted Desert members of the Petrified Forest Formation (Chinle Group) at PEFO yield abundant vertebrate coprolites. The superposition of ichnoassemblages at PEFO demonstrates the biostratigraphic and biochronologic significance of Late Triassic coprolites, such as Dicynodontocopros and Heteropolacopros, which are restricted to the upper Carnian (Adamanian) portion of the section.

The White River coprolites of BADL and surrounding areas are the most studied Cenozoic vertebrate coprolites. Some contain casts and molds of hair and occasionally microvertebrate bones. These coprolites have been the focus of significant studies of Oligocene bone processing by predators/scavengers.

The numerous caves developed in Paleozoic limestones at GRCA yield an abundance of Pleistocene vertebrate coprolites representing at least six mammals and raptors. The largest dung deposits represent the Shasta Ground Sloth and have been at the core of several paleoecological studies (diet, DNA, parasitology, trace elements). The largest dung blanket at Rampart Cave was severely impacted by a fire in 1976.

Coproassemblages from NPS units represent a significant paleontological resource that has been pivotal to recent advances in the study of coprolites. Resource management needs to be sensitive to the preservation and interpretation of vertebrate coprolites.