Paleoecology across the French Carboniferous-Permian boundary revealed by 3D exploration of coprolites

Fossilised faeces (coprolites) are overlooked in palaeontology but they reveal crucial information on the ecology and evolution of the animals that produced them and on their ecological and environmental interactions. Coprolites yield micro-remains of various digested species and provide unique insights into the paleofauna, paleoenvironment and trophic webs. The Carboniferous-Permian transition records shifts from humid to arid global climates in continental environments (including lakes). However, it is still unclear how life has adapted to these changes. Coprolites from lacustrine deposits of French continental basins will be studied using high-resolution methodologies (PPC-SRμCT) to analyse their content and internal structure. The detailed 3D reconstructions of these Permo-Carboniferous coprolites produced by freshwater sharks, based on their spiralled morphology, will allow us to better understand this important ecological turnover and the evolution of sharks feeding behaviours.