Early Triassic microfauna from the Karoo Basin of Southern Africa from coprolites.

This proposal aims to study 30 specimens of fossilized faeces, known as “coprolites”, from the Early Triassic of South Africa. Coprolites selectively preserve microfossils and soft tissues, addressing specific taphonomic deficiencies in the fossil record1-4. Additionally, coprolites contain exceptional palaeobiological information, providing a unique palaeoecological window on the diet, feeding behaviours, trophic relationships, parasitism, and digestive systems of extinct organisms. Recent, pioneering research using PPCSRmCT allows for non-destructive investigation of the microstructures and microfossils contained within coprolites. By imaging these coprolites, we can gain information on the microfauna and a preliminary view on ecological recovery in the Early Triassic following the catastrophic end-Permian extinction, when 95% of all species on Earth went extinct.