Coprolites are fossilised animal excrement. When scientists uncover clusters of fossilised faeces, they frequently interpret them as indicators of herd behaviour in large herbivores. However, is this the only plausible conclusion? One significant discovery prompts thought-provoking questions.
Coprolites from Argentina
In 2013, palaeontologists uncovered a site in northwestern Argentina’s La Rioja province, densely packed with fossilised faeces.1 Since bones of the extinct therapsid herbivore Dinodontosaurus were found in the same layers, paleontologists believe this creature was responsible for these droppings. The varying sizes of the coprolites, ranging from 0.5 to 35 cm in diameter, suggest that the population consisted of both adult and juvenile individuals.
Eight distinct dung mounds were identified within the Chañares Formation, each containing hundreds to thousands of coprolites in exceptionally high concentrations. On average, 66.6 coprolites were found per square metre, with densities reaching up to 94 per square metre. These clusters were spaced approximately 1.5 km apart, each spanning an area of around 400 to 900 square metres.
Coprolites in scientists’ assessment
Researchers concluded that the coprolite deposits could not be solely attributed to herd behaviour in the therapsid species mentioned earlier. The size of the coprolite fields was far smaller than what would be expected for herds of adult animals exceeding 3,000 kg in weight. This suggests that these extensive faecal accumulations resulted from more complex defecation behaviours within relatively restricted areas.1
Furthermore, scientists ruled out the possibility that the coprolite mounds were formed through transport. Instead, they argue that the droppings were deposited in their original location. This conclusion is supported by several factors. Firstly, the geometric clustering of the coprolites suggests they accumulated naturally rather than being relocated. Secondly, their undersides are smooth and bear small indentations, likely created when the faeces came into contact with stones and debris on the soil surface immediately after defecation. Lastly, the proportion of broken coprolites is notably low, serving as an indication that they remained largely undisturbed after deposition.1
Interestingly, a supplementary article2 suggested that the dung heaps were rapidly buried. This conclusion is supported by the fact that thousands of coprolites show no evidence of weathering or bioturbation, such as disturbance by dung beetles. The authors described the coprolites as ‘biogenic concentrations’ formed during a catastrophic sedimentation event that led to their mass burial. They also noted that the excrement was quickly covered and preserved by sediment flows containing a significant amount of volcanic ash.1
Another fascinating detail comes to light: in addition to clusters of fossilised dung and the remains of large herbivores, the Chañares Formation also preserved fossilised ray-finned fish and crocodile-like reptiles (archosaurs).2 However, the authors did not offer an explanation for the presence of this mix of terrestrial, swamp-dwelling, and aquatic species.
Coprolites and catastrophe
What kind of event could have triggered such a phenomenon? What scale of catastrophe would have been necessary to create the ‘catastrophic sedimentation’ that buried dung heaps, their producers, and the remains of both marine and swamp-dwelling creatures—all within a single layer?
If the biblical account of the Flood were regarded as a historical record, could it offer a plausible explanation for this puzzling discovery?
The Book of Genesis3 describes waters rising for 150 days, though not all land was immediately submerged. In already flooded areas, patches of exposed ground would have remained, forcing animals to seek refuge on higher terrain. As the waters continued to rise, these last remaining areas were eventually engulfed, burying the animals and their droppings beneath sediments carried by powerful waves.
A flood of this scale could have led to the mixing of terrestrial and marine creatures within the same sedimentary layers. Tsunami-like waves sweeping across the land could have transported marine animals inland, depositing their remains alongside those of land-dwelling species.
A global flood, therefore, provides a potential explanation for the formation of the vast majority of discovered fossils—including coprolites. Could these findings, then, lend credence to the historical accuracy of the biblical account?
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Footnotes
- Fiorelli, L. E. et al., 2013, The oldest known communal latrines provide evidence of gregarism in Triassic megaherbivores, Scientific Reports, 28 November. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep03340
- Fiorelli, L. E. et al., 2013, The oldest known communal latrines provide evidence of gregarism in Triassic megaherbivores, Supplementary Information, Scientific Reports, 28 November. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep03340#Sec13
- The Bible, New King James Version, 1982, Genesis 7:11-24.
Compiled from: T. Clarey, ‘Digging into a fossil outhouse,’ published on icr.org on December 16, 2013.
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