Journal articles on the topic 'Dasyurus Breeding'
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1
Woolley, PA. "Observations On The Reproductive Biology Of Myoictis Albopunctatus And Dasyurus Spartacus, Dasyurid Wallacei, Neophascogale Lorentzi, Dasyurus Marsupials Endemic To New Guinea." Australian Mammalogy 23, no. 1 (2001): 63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am01063.
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FIELD and laboratory observations on the reproductive biology of seven species of dasyurid marsupials endemic to New Guinea (viz. ?Antechinus? habbema, ?Antechinus? melanurus, ?Antechinus? naso, Murexia longicaudata, Murexia rothschildi, Myoictis melas and Phascolosorex dorsalis) have been recorded by Woolley (in press). Here, less detailed observations on another four, previously unstudied, species (Myoictis wallacei, Neophascogale lorentzi, Dasyurus albopunctatus and Dasyurus spartacus) are presented to provide information on some aspects of reproduction in each species. Only a small number of individuals of each species were trapped, or collected by other means, and maintained in captivity (Table 1). The methods used for trapping and maintenance can be found in Woolley (1993), and for the observations made on the animals, Woolley (in press). Captive breeding could not be attempted because only one sex of each species was maintained. The limited reproductive data obtained from individuals at the time of capture, and from captive animals, is summarised for males in Table 2 and Fig. 1, and for females in Table 3.
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WAY, KEVIN CON. "Captive management and breeding of the Tiger quoll: Dasyurus maculatus." International Zoo Yearbook 27, no. 1 (January 1987): 108–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1987.tb01520.x.
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BRYANT, SALLY. "Maintenance and captive breeding of the Eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus." International Zoo Yearbook 27, no. 1 (January 1987): 119–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1987.tb01521.x.
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WAY, KEVIN CON. "Captive management and breeding of the Tiger quoll: Dasyurus maculatus." International Zoo Yearbook 27, no. 1 (December 18, 2007): 108–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1988.tb03203.x.
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BRYANT, SALLY. "Maintenance and captive breeding of the Eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus." International Zoo Yearbook 27, no. 1 (December 18, 2007): 119–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1988.tb03204.x.
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Belcher, C. A. "Demographics of tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) populations in south-eastern Australia." Australian Journal of Zoology 51, no. 6 (2003): 611. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo02051.
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The tiger quoll is a large marsupial carnivore that occurs in forested habitat in south-eastern Australia. Three tiger quoll populations were trapped for up to six years and data on population parameters, including size, structure, sex ratio, adult : subadult ratio, weight, breeding characteristics, age and longevity were recorded for each population. Sex ratios (♂ : ♀) varied from 5 : 1 to 0 : 1. Population size and age structure reflected previous mortality events and social organisation traits, with all populations showing signs of instability due to disturbance events. Males did not reach full adult weight until three years of age and females until two years. Mean adult male weight was 2.81 kg ± 0.50 (s.d.) (range 2.0–4.2 kg) and mean adult female weight was 1.73 kg ± 0.22 (s.d.) (range 1.2–2.1 kg). Most females did not breed before two years of age and were recorded breeding up to four years of age. A proportion of females did not appear to breed in consecutive years. Matings were estimated to have occurred between late June and early August and births between mid-July and late August. Pouch litter size varied from 4 to 6 with a mean of 5.38 ± 0.65 (s.d.). The adult to juvenile ratio suggests that the mean number of young weaned per female is probably as low as one or two. Monitoring of four females found that the average number of young weaned was three with a range of 2–4. The maximum age recorded was five years. Population declines were found to correlate with 1080 poison baiting programmes, but not with selective logging.
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Old, Julie M., and Hayley J. Stannard. "Corrigendum to: Conservation of quolls (Dasyurus spp.) in captivity – a review." Australian Mammalogy 43, no. 3 (2021): 378. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am20033_co.
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Quolls are carnivorous marsupials in the family Dasyuridae with characteristic white spots. They are distributed throughout Australia and New Guinea, but uncommonly seen due to their mostly nocturnal solitary nature, and large home ranges. All Australian quolls are listed as ‘near threatened' or ‘endangered' at state, national and international levels, largely due to human-induced threats. Threats include introduced predators, habitat loss through clearing and modifications including changed fire regimes, disease, human persecution, vehicle collisions and accidental or targeted poisoning by humans and cane toads (Rhinella marina). Conservation efforts that have focussed on reducing introduced predators, and minimising the impact of cane toads, have aided some translocations, hence species recovery in some local areas of Australia has occurred. Where species conservation has required captive breeding for translocation, successful captive management has been crucial. We summarise research conducted in captivity on aspects of birth and development, health and disease, and blood and nutrition parameters of quolls, and suggest future directions for research. Further research on captive and wild quoll populations will benefit future translocations, reintroductions and conservation through increased knowledge, improved maintenance and husbandry of captive colonies, and monitoring of wild populations.
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Spencer, Peter B. S., Simon Sandover, Kimberley Nihill, Celeste H. Wale, Richard A. How, and Lincoln H. Schmitt. "Living in isolation: ecological, demographic and genetic patterns in northern Australia’s top marsupial predator on Koolan Island." Australian Mammalogy 39, no. 1 (2017): 17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am16004.
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Koolan Island supports an abundant population of the threatened northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). We used a mark–release–recapture program that produced 2089 captures from 2009 to 2012 to examine demographic and genetic parameters in this insular population and compare to other localities. Every captured female was either lactating or carrying up to eight young over the breeding season, July–September. Unlike several other populations, males on Koolan Island can survive long after breeding, but never into a second breeding season. Females can survive and reproduce for two successive annual breeding seasons and occasionally survive to a third. There is marked sexual dimorphism but it is less pronounced, and both sexes are smaller than their mainland counterparts. Quolls were recorded moving over 4 km and apparent abundance was far higher on Koolan Island than the mainland. Genetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial markers demonstrate a distinctive signature. Koolan island has only 34% of the allelic richness of the entire species, and only 38% of the alleles in Kimberley mainland and near-shore island populations. There is no evidence of recent or long-term population decline. Kimberley island faunas have distinctive demographic and genetic profiles that should be appraised before considering translocations for conservation purposes.
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Stead-Richardson, E. J., S. D. Bradshaw, F. J. Bradshaw, and G. Gaikhorst. "Monitoring the oestrous cycle of the chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii) (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae): non-invasive analysis of faecal oestradiol-17b." Australian Journal of Zoology 49, no. 2 (2001): 183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo00024.
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Faecal oestradiol-17β levels were monitored for three months during the breeding period in six female chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii) held in a captive colony. Four of the females mated and gave birth to young. One female mated once but did not conceive and the other female did not mate. Peaks in oestradiol concentration, up to 9 ng g–1 of dried faecal mass, were observed during the period when urogenital swabs were dominated by cornified epithelial cells. Multiple peaks of oestradiol were also observed in the female that did not mate, suggesting that the chuditch may be a reflex ovulator. Monitoring of faecal oestradiol levels did not enable oestrus to be determined with precision, but showed potential for elucidating details of the reproductive biology of this and other marsupial species.
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Ruibal, Monica, Rod Peakall, and Andrew Claridge. "Socio-seasonal changes in scent-marking habits in the carnivorous marsupial Dasyurus maculatus at communal latrines." Australian Journal of Zoology 58, no. 5 (2010): 317. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo10040.
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Scat DNA analyses and monthly monitoring were used to elucidate patterns of latrine use in a free-ranging population of a rare Australian marsupial carnivore, the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) Kerr. In all, 132 latrines were identified at large complex outcrops and on bedrock in drainage lines, creeks and rivers at a single woodland site in south-eastern mainland Australia. Annual cyclic variation in scat deposition was found over the two years that latrines were monitored. Peaks in scat deposition on latrines coincided with seasonal social behaviours and differed between sites on outcrops and sites along drainage lines. A marked increase in scat deposition on latrines in drainage lines was recorded during the mating season and at outcrop latrines when females were nursing young. Genetic analyses of scats collected over one breeding season revealed that multiple individuals of both sexes defaecated at latrines. The communal use of latrines during the mating season along with the seasonal patterns of scat deposition demonstrates that latrines are important scent-marking sites that facilitate social communication among individuals of this solitary-living species. The collective evidence indicates that latrines play a major role in aiding reproduction and interindividual spacing.
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Oakwood, Meri. "Reproduction and demography of the northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus, in the lowland savanna of northern Australia." Australian Journal of Zoology 48, no. 5 (2000): 519. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo00028.
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Reproduction and demography of the northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus, was assessed using live-trapping and radio-tracking at a lowland savanna site in Kakadu National Park between 1992 and 1995. Northern quolls were found to exhibit a highly synchronous breeding cycle with mating occurring late May/early June. The greatest peak in apparent male abundance was during the mating season, but this was probably due to their increased mobility at this time. Males demonstrated complete post-mating mortality, with most males dying within two weeks of mating. Young were born in mid to late June with the mean initial litter size for 8-teated females being 7.3. First-year mothers were more likely to have predominantly male litters, whereas second-year mothers had more females. The survival rate of pouch young was high but, once young were left in the den, survival was poor. Peaks in abundance for both sexes occurred when the juveniles first entered the trappable population in November each year. Mortality of females was high, with only 27% of females surviving to wean a second litter, and none bore a third. The most common proximate cause of adult mortality was predation. Increased predation pressure on adults, in particular due to a reduction in shelter and ground cover from too-frequent fire may make northern quolls vulnerable to local extinction in lowland savanna.
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Claridge, Andrew W., David Paull, James Dawson, Greg Mifsud, Andy J. Murray, Rob Poore, and Michael J. Saxon. "Home range of the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), a marsupial carnivore, in a rainshadow woodland." Wildlife Research 32, no. 1 (2005): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr04031.
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The home ranges, movement patterns and spatial organisation of spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus maculatus) were studied in rainshadow woodland in southern New South Wales, Australia. Fourteen individuals were radio-collared and simultaneously tracked. Home-range size estimates ranged from 621 ha to at least 2561 ha for males, and 88 ha to at least 653 ha for females. Mean home-range size was significantly greater for males (992 ± 276 ha) than females (244 ± 72 ha). The maximum straight-line distances between successive fixes for males over 24-h and 48-h periods were 2529 and 4430 m, respectively, while for females these distances were 1865 and 3085 m. Mean maximum straight-line distances between successive fixes for males over a 24-h period were not significantly different from mean maximum straight-line distances of females (1493 ± 918 v. 1034 ± 540 m). However, over 48 h, the mean maximum distances between successive fixes for males was greater than that of females (2911 ± 934 v. 1680 ± 918 m). The home ranges of males mostly overlapped with those of other individuals, regardless of sex. In contrast, home ranges of females tended not to overlap with those of other females, suggesting some form of spatial separation. Home-range estimates derived for spotted-tailed quolls in our rainshadow woodland study site are comparable to those obtained for the species in wetter vegetation types. From a conservation perspective, it seems that habitat structure and the availability of prey is more important than rainfall or vegetation type in determining spatial requirements of the species. Until more advanced telemetry systems are developed, caution should be applied when using current home-range data on the species to infer breeding systems and patterns of spatial organisation, particularly the issue of territoriality among female quolls.
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West, R. S., L. Tilley, and K. E. Moseby. "A trial reintroduction of the western quoll to a fenced conservation reserve: implications of returning native predators." Australian Mammalogy 42, no. 3 (2020): 257. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am19041.
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While fenced reserves provide sanctuary for many threatened prey species, few projects have reintroduced native threatened predators, despite their potential role in regulating prey, addressing prey naivety, trophic regulation, and predator conservation. We aimed to investigate a set of issues unique to predator reintroduction into fenced reserves: how to contain predators that are naturally wide roaming, how to estimate carrying capacity, and will native predators impact resident threatened species? We conducted a trial reintroduction of four western quolls (Dasyurus geoffroii) (two males, two females) into a fenced reserve where four threatened prey species had been reintroduced and feral cats and foxes excluded. We monitored quoll survival, diet, movement and reproduction. Nocturnal foraging ranges measured over a fortnight were 3–17km2, favouring burrows in dune habitat for shelter. Dietary analysis indicated a preference for reintroduced bettongs and western barred bandicoots, and resident hopping mice. Successful breeding was recorded but the two male quolls eventually escaped the reserve by climbing over the external fence and did not return. Results suggest that quoll reintroductions to fenced reserves will require fence designs that enable quolls to climb back into the reserve, threat management outside the reserve, and close monitoring of prey species.
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Thomas, Hannah, Skye F. Cameron, Hamish A. Campbell, Mariana A. Micheli-Campbell, Ellie C. Kirke, Rebecca Wheatley, and Robbie S. Wilson. "Rocky escarpment versus savanna woodlands: comparing diet and body condition as indicators of habitat quality for the endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus)." Wildlife Research 48, no. 5 (2021): 434. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr20032.
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Abstract ContextUnderstanding what constitutes high-quality habitat for threatened species is critical for conservation management planning. The endangered northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) has experienced an uneven range contraction among habitat types. Once common across multiple habitats of northern mainland Australia, declining populations have now contracted to rocky escarpments. AimThe island refuge of Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory, Australia, has not experienced the declines as seen on mainland Australia. Here, northern quolls persist in both rocky escarpment and savanna woodland, which provides a rare opportunity to investigate the habitat quality of rocky escarpments and savanna woodland for the northern quoll. MethodsNorthern quolls (n=111) were trapped in both rocky escarpment (n=61) and savanna woodland (n=50) habitats before the breeding season (May). We conducted body condition assessment, scat analysis, and measured trophic niche breadth of individuals occupying each habitat type. Key resultsFemale quolls occupying rocky escarpments exhibited a lower body condition than did quolls occupying savanna woodland. Quolls from rocky escarpments consumed a significantly higher proportion of mammals and fed within a narrower dietary niche than did those occupying savanna woodland. ConclusionsQuolls had adapted to the dietary resources available within each habitat type, suggesting that the lack of quolls in savanna woodland on the mainland is due to factors other than availability of dietary resources. ImplicationsGroote Eylandt is of critical conservation significance, where high numbers of northern quolls exist in both rocky escarpment and savanna woodland habitats. For population viability on the mainland, managing threats such as feral predators and inappropriate fire regimes in savanna woodland, particularly those surrounding rocky escarpment, should be prioritised.
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Marks, Clive A. "Bait-delivered cabergoline for the reproductive control of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes): estimating mammalian non-target risk in south-eastern Australia." Reproduction, Fertility and Development 13, no. 8 (2001): 499. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rd01076.
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Cabergoline (CAB) is a potent dopamine agonist and an inhibitor of prolactin (PRL). In red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), a single oral dose of 100 g kg–1 CAB can cause abortions and postnatal cub mortality from at least Day 21 of the 52-day pregnancy. The abortifacient activity of CAB is owing to the suppression of PRL, which is essential for luteotrophic support in some eutherian species. Postnatal cub mortality probably results from a reduction in the development of the mammary ductile system, which is also partially dependant on PRL during pregnancy. This paper investigates the potential risks faced by non-target mammalian species that may consume CAB baits intended for fox control. Baiting with CAB is proposed from 1 August until 1 October each year, to correspond with the time that most vixens are pregnant in south-eastern Australia. Thirty-four endemic mammals in south-eastern Australia (9 eutherians and 25 marsupials) are considered to be potentially bait-consuming (PBC) species. The percentage overlap of pregnancy and birth periods for each PBC species was compared with the duration of the proposed CAB baiting period. Only Antechinus (3 species) and Sminthopsis leucopushave greater than 40% overlap, whereas overlap in endemic rodents ranges from 0% to 22%. Overall, most PBC rodent populations appear to face little risk from CAB baiting, as their period of pregnancy does not overlap significantly with the proposed CAB baiting period. The Antechinus species, Phascogale tapoatafa and Dasyurus maculatus are the only PBC mammals that are seasonally mono-oestrous and are thus probably more susceptible to disruption of breeding compared with polyoestrous species that may breed many times a year. At a baiting density of 8 baits km–2, theoretical bait availability for small dasyurids, rodents and peramelids is low. This suggests a low potential for affecting these populations if CAB was indiscriminate in affecting reproductive success in all mammal groups. Presently, studies in a limited range of marsupials suggest that, unlike eutherians, the marsupial corpus luteum is independent of pituitary control and thus suppression of PRL is not likely to cause abortions in marsupials. As yet, CAB has not been shown to be orally active in any PBC species other than rodents and carnivores. Oral doses of CAB given post partum have not been found to affect lactation in Sminthopsis crassicaudata,Trichosurus vulpecula, Macropus eugenii andSetonix brachyurus. Further studies are required in order to assess the potential for high doses of oral CAB to affect pre-partum mammary development and early lactation post partum, especially in peramelids and larger dasyurids. Highly target-specific baiting techniques, may eliminate most PBC species from being exposed to CAB and these are briefly discussed.
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Heiniger, Jaime, Skye F. Cameron, Thomas Madsen, Amanda C. Niehaus, and Robbie S. Wilson. "Demography and spatial requirements of the endangered northern quoll on Groote Eylandt." Wildlife Research 47, no. 3 (2020): 224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr19052.
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Abstract ContextAustralia has experienced the highest number of mammal extinctions of any continent over the past two centuries. Understanding the demography and spatial requirements of populations before declines occur is fundamental to confirm species trajectory, elucidate causes of decline and develop effective management strategies. AimsWe evaluated the demography and spatial requirements of a northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus, population on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory. Groote Eylandt is considered a refuge for the species because key threatening processes are absent or limited; cane toads and introduced ungulates are absent, feral cats are infrequently detected and the fire regime is benign compared with mainland Northern Territory. MethodsWe conducted a 4-year capture–mark–recapture study to monitor growth, reproduction and survival of northern quolls within a 128-ha area, and we evaluated spatial requirements by attaching GPS units to both sexes. To assess the status of the Groote Eylandt population, we compared the demographics with existing data from mainland populations. Key resultsThe average density of northern quolls was 0.33ha−1. However, there was a 58% decline in female density, primarily between 2012 and 2013, corresponding with a decrease in female body mass. Females survived and bred in up to 3 years and adult survival rates did not vary among years, suggesting that juvenile recruitment drives population fluctuations. Male quolls were semelparous, with die-off occurring in the months following breeding. The median female and male home ranges were 15.7ha and 128.6ha respectively, and male ranges increased significantly during breeding, with 1616ha being the largest recorded. ConclusionsThe northern quoll population on Groote Eylandt had a higher density, female survival and reproductive success than has been previously recorded on the mainland. However, a marked decline was recorded corresponding with a decrease in female mass, indicating below-average rainfall as the likely cause. ImplicationsGroote Eylandt remains a refuge for the endangered northern quoll. However, even in the absence of key threatening processes, the population has declined markedly, highlighting the impact of environmental fluctuations. Maintaining the ecological integrity of Groote Eylandt is imperative for population recovery, and managing threats on the mainland over appropriate spatial scales is necessary to increase population resilience.
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Moro, Dorian, Judy Dunlop, and Matthew R. Williams. "Northern quoll persistence is most sensitive to survivorship of juveniles." Wildlife Research 46, no. 2 (2019): 165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr18010.
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Context Projecting the population trajectory of endangered species using models requires conservation practitioners to evaluate how variations in life history parameters may change a population’s viability. This is particularly important for species that occur as fragmented populations and whose densities are naturally low. Simulations may be used to identify conservation actions that have a higher likelihood of reducing a species’ extinction risk. Aims The aim was to apply population viability models to the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) under alternative scenarios. Methods The current (baseline) northern quoll demographic trajectories were evaluated using field-collected data derived from monitoring programs. The impact of alternative scenarios of mortality (for example, due to increased predation by introduced predators) and population supplementation (either from populations elsewhere or from captive breeding) on the viability of a northern quoll population was then determined. Key results Under current conditions, individual Pilbara populations of northern quoll are projected to persist for over 20 years. However, these populations are sensitive to extinction events. Population growth rate and local extinction risk were most sensitive to changes in juvenile mortality as low as 5% per annum. Increased mortality of the juvenile age cohort above current levels resulted in a projected decline in population size of 22–54%, with a moderate-to-high chance (20–96%) of local extinction within 20 years. Supplementing the population produced a moderate increase in quoll persistence over this time period. Conclusions Populations of northern quolls in the Pilbara, and potentially elsewhere in their range, are highly sensitive to even small perturbations in juvenile mortality rates. The continued persistence of quoll populations in fragmented refuges is characteristic of a species that functions as a dynamic metapopulation in the face of high environmental perturbations. Implications Increased juvenile mortality above current levels – for example through the spread of cane toads or invasion of feral cats – may have serious implications for the persistence of the current network of northern quoll populations and other mammals that exhibit population fragmentation in arid environments. Estimates of survival rates for the juvenile cohort of quolls would improve diagnosis of a species’ population dynamics as well as inform practitioners of key life-history sensitivities.
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Foster, W. K., A. J. Bradley, W. Caton, and D. A. Taggart. "Comparison of growth and development of the red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) in three captive colonies." Australian Journal of Zoology 54, no. 5 (2006): 343. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo06033.
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The red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) is an endangered dasyurid species that has recently been brought into captivity in an effort to increase numbers before release back into the wild. As part of investigations into the reproductive biology of the species, information on the growth and development of young was collected throughout lactation from litters raised in three separate colonies. Growth curves for aging young throughout lactation and a timetable of developmental changes were constructed. While two colonies, with fourth- and fifth-generation captive animals, showed no significant difference in growth, animals from a third colony that had been wild caught before breeding displayed a slower rate of growth from 34 days of age. The pattern of development resembled that of other dasyurids, with young left in the nest from 44 days of age, fully furred by 78 days and weaned between 90 and 110 days. Captive phascogales invest heavily in their young, with litters weighing 380 ± 67% of maternal bodyweight at weaning.
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Wilson, BA. "Reproduction in the Female Dasyurid Antechinus-Minimus-Maritimus (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae)." Australian Journal of Zoology 34, no. 2 (1986): 189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9860189.
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Reproduction in female Antechinus minimus maritimus was investigated in the field and laboratory. Field data were obtained from a mark-recapture study. A laboratory colony was maintained to investigate the oestrous pattern, length of gestation and development of pouch young. Breeding occurred in winter with births in July or August. Gestation (mean � SD) was 30.6 � l.5 days for animals mated in the laboratory. Epithelial cells were present in the urine for 34.8 � 8.3 days, a lengthy period compared to A. stuartii (19.3 � 4.4 days). Ovaries from females before the breeding season contained small developing follicles. During the breeding season Graafian follicles (4-8 per ovary) or corpora lutea (4-13 per ovary) were found. Reproduction in A. m. maritimus females is similar to that described previously in other Antechinus.
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Stannard, Hayley J., Casey R. Borthwick, Oselyne Ong, and Julie M. Old. "Longevity and breeding in captive red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura)." Australian Mammalogy 35, no. 2 (2013): 217. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am12042.
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This paper reports successful breeding by 4-year-old female red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura) and that they can survive until at least 5 years of age in captivity, whilst males can survive until at least 2 years of age in captivity. These findings have implications for captive breeding programs, providing evidence that older females can be successfully bred. In the longer term we hope these findings may aid conservation efforts of this endangered dasyurid.
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Woolley, PA. "Reproduction in the Ningbing Antechinus (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) - Field and Laboratory Observations." Wildlife Research 15, no. 2 (1988): 149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9880149.
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The ningbing antechinus is a species of small dasyurid marsupial found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Observations on reproduction have been made on newly captured and laboratory maintained specimens. The breeding season is short and mating occurs in June. The young are born after a long gestation, estimated to be between 45 and 52 days, in late July and early August. They are weaned in November when about 16 weeks old and they reach sexual maturity at 10-11 months, in the first breeding season after birth. Both males and females are potentially capable of breeding in a second season.
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Bos, Darren G., and Susan M. Carthew. "Patterns of movement in the small dasyurid (Ningaui yvonneae)." Australian Journal of Zoology 55, no. 5 (2007): 299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo06055.
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The movement behaviour of a small dasyurid (Ningaui yvonneae) was investigated using mark–recapture data collected over 28 months from a population in the Middleback Ranges, South Australia. We were particularly interested in assessing variability in patterns of movement between the sexes and across seasons, as this has potentially important implications for population composition and dynamics. The species was found to be fairly mobile, with frequent and sometimes large movements relative to the size of the animal (up to 900+ m). Average distances moved between recaptures within and between trap sessions were 84 m and 160 m respectively, with nearly half of all recorded movements being between trapping grids (i.e. >80 m). Relatively high recapture rates (many separated by more than 100 days) and measures of site fidelity indicated that the species was not particularly transitory, but probably establishes large and/or drifting home ranges. However, patterns of movement varied considerably according to sex and the time of year. Female N. yvonneae were generally more sedentary than males, with few females moving between trapping grids, and most short-term movements (<100 days apart) being less than 70 m. Movements of females for which the records were separated by more than 100 days tended to be larger, with an average between-capture distance >200 m. In contrast, males often moved between trapping grids, even over short periods. Some short-term movements were more than 600 m in length, and the average distance moved within trapping sessions was >100 m. During the breeding season, males more than doubled the average distances moved between recaptures, when they were presumably roaming in search of females. For females, movement distances were similar during the prebreeding and breeding seasons, but were significantly smaller in the postbreeding season, when they were caring for young.
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Wolfe, Kristen M., Helen Robertson, and Roberta Bencini. "The mating behaviour of the dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, in captivity." Australian Journal of Zoology 48, no. 5 (2000): 541. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo00030.
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A study of the mating behaviour of the dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, was conducted at a captive-breeding colony at Perth Zoo. In total, 21 pairs of P. apicalis were observed. The oestrous cycles of the females were monitored, and the males and females were paired when the females were approaching oestrus. Direct observations were made of the pairs over a 2-h period 3–4 times a week for the duration of the breeding season (mid February to April). It was found that the mating behaviour of P. apicalis was similar to that of other dasyurids; in particular, sniffing, vocalisations, chasing and attempted mounting tended to increase in the days leading up to mating. No significant difference was found between successful pairs (i.e. those that did mate) and unsuccessful pairs (i.e. those that did not) in the number of interactions and the average distance between the pair.
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Taggart, D. A., and P. D. Temple-Smith. "Comparative studies of epididymal morphology and sperm distribution in dasyurid marsupials during the breeding season." Journal of Zoology 232, no. 3 (March 1994): 365–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1994.tb01579.x.
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Bos, Darren, and Susan M. Carthew. "Prey selection by the dasyurid Ningaui yvonneae." Wildlife Research 34, no. 8 (2007): 632. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr07001.
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We know little about the availability of potential prey and patterns of prey consumption by Ningaui yvonneae in a natural environment. This information is important to understanding how the species is able to exploit its semiarid environment. Here, we examine the diet of N. yvonneae inhabiting a semiarid mallee community in South Australia using a combination of faecal analysis and observations of nocturnally foraging animals. Prey consumption was compared with the availability of prey types in the environment, and comparisons made between habitat components, across seasons and between sexes. N. yvonneae was found to include a range of prey types in its diet, with 11 invertebrate taxa recorded from direct observation and eight of these detected in the scats. Prey taxa consumed most often by freely foraging ningauis were Araneae, Blattodea and Orthoptera, while those most commonly detected in scats were Hymenoptera and Araneae. In comparison, 22 invertebrate taxa were recorded in pitfall traps, although many of these were recorded infrequently. Taxa most commonly recorded in traps were Hymenoptera, Collembola, Coleoptera and Acariformes. Observational data also indicated that consumption of prey taxa differed significantly between sexes and among seasons. Males generally consumed a more diverse array of prey, with both observational and scat data showing that they were more likely to consume Hymenoptera and Isoptera, while females were more likely to consume Lepidoptera and Hemiptera. Variability between seasons was evident in consumption of invertebrate grubs (recorded only during ‘growth’; February–April), Orthoptera (recorded most often during ‘breeding’, August–October), and Araneae (recorded more often during ‘maturation’, May–July). However percentage occurrence data from the scats lacked this seasonality, possibly because of the smaller array of prey taxa recorded. N. yvonneae captured prey from all available habitat components, with five of the most frequently recorded prey taxa being recorded from all components. Leaf litter and Triodia were the most commonly recorded capture sites (45% and 22% of captures respectively), and males and females used the habitat components in a similar manner. Although N. yvonneae is like many other dasyurids in having a largely generalist insectivorous diet, comparisons of prey consumed with their availability in the environment indicated that individuals did show some selectivity towards certain taxa, particularly Blattodea, Orthoptera, Chilopoda, Lepidoptera and Araneae.
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Woolley, PA. "Reproductive Pattern of Captive Boullanger Island Dibbers, Parantechinus apicalis (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae)." Wildlife Research 18, no. 2 (1991): 157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9910157.
Full textAbstract:
The recent discovery in Western Australia of two island populations of the dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, which is rare on the mainland, has provided an opportunity for further study of this species. Following the finding that all males in an island population died soon after the mating period in March, in contrast to mainland males which survive beyond their first breeding season in both the field and the laboratory, a study of the pattern of reproduction in captive island dibblers was made. Like mainland dibblers, island females were found to be monoestrous, and island males potentially capable of breeding in more than one season. Island dibblers are smaller than mainland dibblers but the estimated length of pseudopregnancy was found to be similar. The results of the study on captive island dibblers, together with observations made on the island population at the time it was discovered, suggest that the 'die-off' of males observed in each of the three years following their discovery may not be an inevitable event, as it is for the males of some other species of small dasyurid marsupials (e.g. Antechinus).
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Mills, Harriet R., and Roberta Bencini. "New evidence for facultative male die-off in island populations of dibblers, Parantechinus apicalis." Australian Journal of Zoology 48, no. 5 (2000): 501. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo00025.
Full textAbstract:
The post-mating mortality of males in dasyurid species is thought to be a specific life-history strategy, associated with a tightly synchronised breeding season, that may enhance survivorship of juveniles. Parantechinus apicalis has been reported to exhibit male die-off in island populations but not in mainland populations, and males originating from both island and mainland populations are known to survive post-mating in captivity. However, males in the island populations have been reported to sometimes survive to breed in a second year. This study monitored captive and island populations over a three-year period (April 1997 – May 2000) to examine the extent of male die-off. In captivity, males showed no evidence of post-mating mortality. Males on one island were also found to survive post-mating, while another island population appeared to have high mortality of males in three years, and a complete male die-off after the 1999 breeding season. We conclude that P. apicalis may warrant inclusion in a new category of life-history strategy for species exhibiting facultative male die-off.
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Czarny, N. A., J. I. Garnham, M. S. Harris, and J. C. Rodger. "Comparison of the production, quality, and in vitro maturation capacity of oocytes from untreated cycling and intermediate phase equine serum gonadotropin-treated fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata)." REPRODUCTION 138, no. 1 (July 2009): 23–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/rep-09-0064.
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This study describes ovarian changes during the natural and stimulated reproductive cycle of breeding (≤12 month) and retired (>12 month) fat-tailed dunnarts, Sminthopsis crassicaudata. Increased urinary cornified epithelial cells and the influx of leukocytes defined day 0, at which time the naturally cycling females had already ovulated; at day 16 females had no antral follicles, but by day 20 antral follicles had begun to develop. There was no difference between naturally cycling breeding and retired females. Females were stimulated with 1 IU equine serum gonadotropin (eSG) during the intermediate phase on day 16 and killed 3, 4, or 5 days later. Stimulation resulted in a significant increase in the number of growing antral follicles but retired females demonstrated a reduced response. Upon collection from breeding females 4 days following eSG stimulation, 100% of oocytes were at the first polar body (PB1) stage, those collected from retired females were immature upon collection but within 48 h 98.2±1.9% were cultured to the PB1 stage. The rate of ovulation was high in breeding females 5 days following stimulation but retired females were less reliable, and in both groups all oocytes were degraded. This is the first study to describe a reliable technique, involving ovarian stimulation during the intermediate phase and segregation of age groups, allowing the collection of a large number of healthy PB1 stage oocytes from S. crassicaudata. This is important for the development of further assisted reproductive techniques for this species and threatened dasyurids.
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Soderquist, TR. "Maternal Strategies of Phascogale-Tapoatafa (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) .1. Breeding Seasonality and Maternal Investment." Australian Journal of Zoology 41, no. 6 (1993): 549. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9930549.
Full textAbstract:
Phascogale tapoatafa, an arboreal carnivorous marsupial, is the largest mammal in which an obligate yearly die-off of all males occurs. The species is one of the most widespread of Australian marsupials, being found in tropical, subtropical and temperate forests and woodlands of Australia. Its breeding season varies little throughout this range, with most births occurring in July. In three Victorian populations, 2-year-old females typically gave birth earlier than first-year females, births were spread on average over 15 days, and, in some years, occurred two weeks earlier than average. Modal litter size equalled the number of teats (8), but litters of 1-6 young comprised 29% of the sample (n = 45), and litter size averaged 6.6 young. The sex ratio of litters produced by second-year females was significantly male-biased (0.62); that of first-year females was 0.48. When juveniles first released the teats (c. 48 days of age), they weighed about 4 g. Weight gain by captive juveniles was more rapid than that of wild conspecifics prior to weaning, but skeletal growth rate and morphological development were similar. Total lactational investment by P. tapoatafa is much greater than expected for a dasyurid of its size (wild litters at weaning average 313% of maternal weight; captive litters average 370%). The high mortality of wild adult females during lactation may reflect this energetic drain.
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Woolley, P. A., and C. Elliott. "Breeding in wild populations of a small dasyurid marsupial, Planigale ingrami, in north-western Queensland using a novel method for collection of specimens." Australian Mammalogy 36, no. 1 (2014): 81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am13027.
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The reproductive biology of the long-tailed planigale (Planigale ingrami) is less well known than that of its congeners P. gilesi and P. tenuirostris. Aspects of the anatomy of reproductive structures and the pattern of reproduction of P. ingrami were established by examination of specimens extracted from the stomachs of feral cats shot in north-western Queensland. This species has an extended breeding season that commences in August and probably ends in December, and both males and females may live to breed in more than one season, providing support for the similarity of the reproductive strategies of these three species of Planigale. Females of P. ingrami have twelve nipples in the pouch, the form of which may differ from that of other planigales. Pouch morphology may prove useful in the identification of species of Planigale providing observations are made on the appearance of the pouch throughout the breeding cycle.
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Friend, G. R., B. W. Johnson, D. S. Mitchell, and G. T. Smith. "Breeding, Population Dynamics and Habitat Relationships of Sminthopsis dolichura (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae) in Semi-arid Shrublands of Western Australia." Wildlife Research 24, no. 3 (1997): 245. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr96070.
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Demographic data were gathered from two populations of the little long-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis dolichura, inhabiting semi-arid nature reserves in the Western Australian wheatbelt in order to place the ecology of this species (formerly part of the Sminthopsis murina complex) in perspective. In all respects, S. dolichura is similar to S. murina from south-eastern Australia, and, indeed, to most other species of the Sminthopsis group. High mobility and transiency rates, an extended seasonal pattern of reproduction, relatively rapid development of the young and the probable existence of polyoestry characterise the life history of S. dolichura and most other species within the group that have been studied. These attributes enable a high degree of reproductive flexibility and permit these species to opportunistically invade new habitats and ephemeral post-fire seral stages. The observed sympatry with highly seasonal monoestrous dasyurids of the genus Antechinus is postulated to occur through spatial and temporal selection of different microhabitats, but also suggests that phylogenetic factors may be at least as important as the predictability of climate and food resources in explaining the evolution of different reproductive strategies.
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Menkhorst, E., N. Ezard, and L. Selwood. "Induction of ovulation and natural oestrous cycling in the Stripe-faced Dunnart, Sminthopsis macroura." Reproduction 133, no. 2 (February 2007): 495–502. http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/rep-06-0254.
Full textAbstract:
Induced ovulation allows reproduction by otherwise infertile females, and is ideal for the captive breeding of endangered species where the population is aged or breeding is unsuccessful. A predictable time of ovulation after induction has not yet been achieved in polyovular marsupials. Ovulation was induced in Sminthopsis macroura using an initial injection of 20 IU equine serum gonadotrophin (eSG; Day 0), followed on Day 4 by either 20 IU eSG (n = 25) or 0.5 mg porcine luteinizing hormone (n = 26). I.p. hormone injection was given in the morning or early evening, and reproductive status was established prior to induction. Five non-cyclic animals began to cycle naturally following induction and one gave birth to a litter. The time of ovulation after the 1st injection (7.8 ± 0.9 days) was significantly shorter (P = 0.000) and less variable than the previous study, mimicked the timing of natural cycling, and both natural and induced animals ovulated in the early morning. In vitro oocyte movement through the oviduct, observed for the first time in a marsupial, occurred in pulses. We estimated one group of oocytes could travel the length of the oviduct in 40 min, but it was probably around 4 h. The entire ovulation time (including multiple ovulations) was estimated at 7.5 h. This study has achieved a predictable timing of ovulation after stimulation, and induced noncyclic animals to cycle naturally and give birth, providing a modified methodology for use in captive breeding programs of endangered dasyurid marsupial species with low fecundity.
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Woolley, P. A. "Observations on the oestrous cycle and breeding season of the Chestnut Dunnart Sminthopsis archeri, a little known dasyurid marsupial." Australian Mammalogy 29, no. 1 (2007): 89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am07011.
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Only 31 specimens of Sminthopsis archeri have been studied. These have come from Papua New Guinea and Cape York, Australia. Females are seasonally polyoestrous. Oestrous cycles in captive females are characterized by an increase body weight until just before ovulation. Changes in pouch condition are described. Eight nipples are usual.
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Pearce, Coral, Chris J. Burwell, and Andrew M. Baker. "Dietary composition and prey preference of a new carnivorous marsupial species, the buff-footed antechinus (Antechinus mysticus), at the northern and southern limits of its range." Australian Journal of Zoology 65, no. 3 (2017): 148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo16028.
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The buff-footed antechinus (Antechinus mysticus) is a newly described carnivorous marsupial from eastern Australia. We examined the diet composition and prey preference of this little known dasyurid in the southernmost (Brisbane) and northernmost (Eungella) populations. Animals were captured over three months (July–September) during 2014 encompassing the breeding period (late July and August) of the species. Seasonal sampling carried over into a second year which followed the succeeding cohort of juveniles as they dispersed from their maternal nest (summer), through their maturation (autumn), to the beginning of breeding (winter), sampling across one complete generation. The diet of A. mysticus consisted predominantly of invertebrates, with 16 prey orders identified (11 Insecta, two Arachnida, two Myriapoda, one Crustacea). Vertebrate (Family Scincidae) consumption was recorded in low abundance at both sites. The diet of A. mysticus was dominated by Araneae (spiders), Blattodea (cockroaches) and Coleoptera (beetles). Comparison of identified prey consumption in scats with prey availability in pitfall traps showed A. mysticus to be a dietary generalist, opportunistically consuming mostly invertebrate prey with supplementary predation on small vertebrates. Juvenile A. mysticus preyed predominantly on Blattodea (33.4% mean percentage volume) and Coleoptera (31.6% mean percentage volume), potentially suggesting a preference for larger, easier to catch, prey items. Further exploration into the relationship between prey and body size is required to determine this.
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Woolley, PA. "Reproduction in Dasykaluta-Rosamondae (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) - Field and Laboratory Observations." Australian Journal of Zoology 39, no. 5 (1991): 549. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9910549.
Full textAbstract:
Observations on reproduction in both wild-caught and laboratory-maintained Dasykaluta rosamondae have led to the conclusion that this species is one of 10 dasyurid marsupials in which males die soon after their first mating period. D. rosamondae have a short annual breeding season. The females are monoestrous, mating in September and bearing the young in November. Laboratory-reared young are weaned at an age of about 3 1/2-4 months, in February and March, and juveniles appear in the field population at this time. Both mates and females reach sexual maturity at an age of about 10 months. In the laboratory, males breed in only one season, after which those that survive become reproductively senile. Mature males disappear from the field population about the time the young are born; those collected shortly before this show signs of reproductive senescence. Males collected in the months after the young are weaned represent a single age-class; their reproductive development parallels that of maturing known-age males. Females are capable of breeding in at least two seasons and litters of up to eight are reared. Development of the pouch young is described. Unusual interstitial tissue masses develop in the ovaries of D. rosamondae; the granulosa cells of some follicles undergo transformation to interstitial cells, and the oocytes in these follicles degenerate, shortly before the females enter oestrus.
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Soderquist, TR, and L. Ealey. "Social interactions and mating strategies of a solitary carnivorous marsupial, Phascogale tapoatafa, in the wild." Wildlife Research 21, no. 5 (1994): 527. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9940527.
Full textAbstract:
The difficulty of observing the behaviour of cryptic, nocturnal carnivorous marsupials (Dasyuridae) in the wild has created a reliance on laboratory studies for the analysis of social interactions. Behavioural data on wild Phascogale tapoatafa suggest that previous interpretations may be biased by laboratory confinement. The play of juvenile P. tapoatafa entailed brief, non-contact chases, which apparently provide social practice prior to the solitary, post-dispersal life of adults. Interactions between wild adults very rarely included physical contact. Most encounters (63%) comprised chases, of which only female-female interactions commonly displaced the chased animal more than 3 m. Wild females readily deterred males from approaching closely by vocal threatening, even during the peak of the breeding season, so that forced copulation (as reported in captive dasyurids) was unlikely. Scent-presentation experiments suggested that sternal marking by males was intersexual communication, and may serve, along with intersexual chases, to familiarise females with future mates.
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Rhind, S. G. "Reproductive demographics among brush-tailed phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa) in south-western Australia." Wildlife Research 29, no. 3 (2002): 247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr01013.
Full textAbstract:
Reproduction and population demographics were examined among wild brush-tailed phascogales in southern Western Australia. Data were gathered in a single region during 1992–97 from 387 individuals, 139 of whom were monitored by radio-telemetry. In contrast to Victorian phascogales, which all have eight teats, the Western Australian population contained females with six (30%), seven (21%), and eight (49%) teats (n = 72). Teat numbers varied between mothers and daughters/sisters, which appears unprecedented among dasyurids. The data strongly suggest that females try to raise as many young as they have teats. Population changes are as described for Victorian phascogales: complete male die-off occurs in July; some females survive to breed in a second year; and there is long-distance male dispersal and high philopatry by female offspring. Births occur from July to September, somewhat later and also less synchronised than among Victoria phascogales. Late breeding by females in one year suggests that sperm storage may be extensive in this species. Strong associations between the physical condition of females and rainfall suggest that these may influence between-year variation in birth times and sex-ratio bias in litters. Similarly, poor physical condition of young during drought may have underpinned atypical dispersal behaviour in males. Decreased teat numbers and smaller litter sizes indicate that phascogales from south-western Western Australia are reproductively adapted to relatively low food availability. However, this species experiences difficulty successfully breeding and rearing young under drought conditions.
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Schmidt, A. L., D. A. Taggart, P. Holz, P. D. Temple-Smith, and A. J. Bradley. "Plasma steroids and steroid-binding capacity in male semelparous dasyurid marsupials (Phascogale tapoatafa) that survive beyond the breeding season in captivity." General and Comparative Endocrinology 149, no. 3 (December 2006): 236–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2006.06.003.
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Graves, JAM, AH Sinclair, and JA Spencer. "Marsupial Gene Mapping and the Evolution of Mammalian Sex-Chromosome Form and Function." Australian Journal of Zoology 37, no. 3 (1989): 365. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9890365.
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Comparisons between the gene maps of distantly related mammalian species can provide information about the evolution of genome arrangement and function in mammals. Marsupial gene mapping is now being vigorously pursued, using newly developed cell and molecular techniques to complement classic breeding studies of model species. Gene associations and localisations established by all these techniques are tabulated, and the beginnings of gene maps, based on in situ hybridisation, are presented for a macropodid and a dasyurid species. The significance of marsupial gene mapping is apparent even from these limited data, which show that large autosomal regions have been conserved between marsupials and eutherians. However, an ancient X-autosome translocation is revealed, which either removed most of the human X short-arm markers (including the putative sex determining factor) to autosomes or added this region to a smaller ancestral X. The implications of these findings to theories of mammalian sex chromosome evolution and function are discussed, and a hypothesis proposed for a gradual differentiation of the mammalian X and Y chromosome, accompanied by progressive spreading of X chromosome inactivation.
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Mills, H., Z. German R, C. Lambert, and P. Bradley M. "Growth and Sexual Dimorphism in the Dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae)." Australian Mammalogy 21, no. 2 (1999): 239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am00239.
Full textAbstract:
Sexual dimorphism in animals has been recognised as being associated with particular breeding strategies or mating systems since Darwin's Origin of Species. Frequently, in polygamous situations, females express a variety of attributes to attract males, and males compete with each other for access to females. This produces different selective pressures in each sex, which in tum produces differing morphologies (Leigh 1995). Thus, the emphasis of morphological studies of sexual differences tends to focus on adults and not the growth patterns that generate those differences. Growth patterns in marsupials have been shown to be variable between species (Gemmell and Hendrikz 1993). Previous studies of dasyurid species in captivity concluded that the onset of dimorphism occurs prior to or during weaning (Whitford, Fanning and White 1982; Williams and Williams 1982), but wild animals are not sexually dimorphic until after weaning (Soderquist 1995). These studies have generally examined the growth rates of males and females and the timing of the onset of sexual dimorphism, but little attention has been focussed on how the differences between the sexes are generated.
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Magnusdottir, Rannveig, Barbara A. Wilson, and Pall Hersteinsson. "Dispersal and the influence of rainfall on a population of the carnivorous marsupial swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus)." Wildlife Research 35, no. 5 (2008): 446. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr06156.
Full textAbstract:
Although there is evidence that recent climatic changes have had significant impacts on a wide range of species in the Northern Hemisphere, the influence of climate change, particularly drought, on Australian native small mammal species is poorly understood. In this study we investigated dispersal patterns and the influence of rainfall on the swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus). Peak abundance occurred after the highest total annual rainfall for two decades, in 2001. A year later the population had declined to 10% of the peak. Birth dates appeared to occur three weeks earlier following a year of high rainfall. The dispersal of nine litters of pouch young (n = 62) was assessed following two breeding seasons. Young males remained on the natal site until December–January and dispersed before the breeding season. New males entered the population between January and June. More than 50% of females were residents and remained on the site to breed; the remaining females were trapped only once. After the male die-off the movements of pregnant females increased and they appeared to expand their home ranges. A. minimus exhibits philopatry of females and dispersal of males, as observed in other Antechinus species but dispersal occurs 2–3 months after weaning. This contrasts with juveniles of other Antechinus species that disperse abruptly after weaning. This study provides evidence that precipitation does have a major effect on the abundance of dasyurid species, making them vulnerable to drought and local or regional extinctions, particularly in areas of fragmented habitat and drying climates.
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Bennison, Kerrie, Christopher R. Dickman, and Robert Godfree. "Habitat use and ecological observations of the Ooldea dunnart (Sminthopsis ooldea) at Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory." Australian Mammalogy 35, no. 2 (2013): 175. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am12048.
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The Ooldea dunnart (Sminthopsis ooldea) is a small (10–11 g) and poorly known dasyurid marsupial that is endemic to the central and western arid regions of Australia. Surveys carried out at Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, from 1994 to 2010 yielded 37 captures of this elusive species, providing novel insights into its biology. Most captures were made in pitfall traps, with spring breeding confirmed by the presence of pregnant or lactating females during October and November. Animals were captured in mallee and mulga woodland and spinifex (Triodia spp.) dominated dune fields and sand plains. Capture rates were variable in most habitat types, but were relatively consistent in one site dominated by mulga (Acacia aneura). Although we found no consistent association between captures of S. ooldea and prior rainfall, fewest animals were captured in the two wettest years of the study. Ooldea dunnarts showed no clear response to fire. We suggest that mulga is a key habitat for S. ooldea, but also that the demography of this species may be shaped by biotic and/or abiotic factors that remain to be fully elucidated.
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Gilfillan, Sandra L. "An ecological study of a population of Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis (Marsupialia : Dasyuridae) in central Australia. I. Invertebrate food supply, diet and reproductive strategy." Wildlife Research 28, no. 5 (2001): 469. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr99062.
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The invertebrate food supply, diet and reproductive strategy of a population of the dasyurid marsupial, Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis, living in an arid rocky habitat was investigated at a site in the West MacDonnell National Park, Northern Territory, over two and a half years. Invertebrate food supply displayed high month to month predictability and no marked seasonal cycle correlated with temperature. Analysis of faeces indicated that P. macdonnellensis is a generalist insectivore. There was some discrepancy between the pattern revealed by invertebrate sampling and the prey types taken but it was concluded that the invertebrates sampled broadly reflected those available to P. macdonnellensis. Individual females reproduced only once per year; the estimated time of mating was in July–August, and births occurred in September–October. The maximum litter size was six and nearly all females in each season produced a full complement of young. Some males survived and showed spermatorrhea in two breeding seasons and some females survived and produced young in up to three. The seasonal pattern of invertebrate food supply at the study site appeared to be more dependable than that found in studies carried out in arid plains habitats. The difference may result from a microtopographical amelioration in the rocky habitat of the effects of extreme weather conditions that in open, arid habitats are believed to produce increased short-term unpredictability and pronounced, temperature-driven seasonality in food supply. The ameliorating effect may also increase longevity in P. macdonnellensis by reducing density-independent mortality. The monoestrous highly seasonal reproductive strategy in P. macdonnellensis differs from that displayed by most species that inhabit arid plains habitats (the latter are polyoestrous with an extended breeding season). The shortterm predictability in food supply together with a high longevity in P. macdonnellensis may account for its reproductive strategy. The results of this study provide support for the notion that habitat-specific selective pressures in arid environments may favour divergent ecological strategies in functionally similar species.
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Rodger, JC, WG Breed, and JH Bennett. "Gonadotrophin-induced oestrus and ovulation in the polyovulatory marsupial Sminthopsis crassicaudata." Reproduction, Fertility and Development 4, no. 2 (1992): 145. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rd9920145.
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Sminthopsis crassicaudata is a small (approximately 16 g) polyovulatory dasyurid marsupial which has the potential to become an important model species. This study examined the use of exogenous hormone treatment to manipulate the breeding of S. crassicaudata and as a means to obtain timed developmental stages for further study. Two thirds (21/32) of the females treated with 1.0 or 5.0 I.U. of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) had ovulated when the contents of their reproductive tracts were examined 5 or 6 days later. Only one of eight females treated with 0.2 I.U. PMSG had ovulated in the same period. Although a similar proportion of animals treated with 1.0 I.U. and 5.0 I.U. ovulated, the ovulation rate was significantly lower when the higher dose was administered (mean of 10.5 ovulations per female v. 3.8 ovulations per female). In addition, the ovaries of 6/8 of the animals treated with 5.0 I.U. PMSG had luteinized follicles with degenerating oocytes, evidence of over-stimulation. Follicular luteinization also occurred in 4/8 animals treated with 1 I.U. PMSG. Oocyte maturation and ovulation occurred following PMSG stimulation without injection of synthetic gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH). Treatment with a 10-micrograms dose of GnRH following PMSG seemed to have no effect on the outcome. Of the females that had ovulated by Day 6, three quarters had mated and some had fertilized eggs and two-cell embryos in the oviducts and uteri. In a further series of experiments the subsequent development of embryos conceived after PMSG treatment was assessed. Two thirds of treated females mated within 7 days of treatment and 60% of these matings yielded embryos when examined 11 days after PMSG. However, full-term development was only achieved in one animal. Gonadotrophin treatment of S. crassicaudata thus may have application as a means to obtain mature or maturing oocytes, cleavage stage embryos and blastocysts, but at this stage it appears not to offer promise as a method to achieve full-term development.
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Recher, Harry F., Daniel Lunney, and Alison Matthews. "Small mammal populations in a eucalypt forest affected by fire and drought. I. Long-term patterns in an era of climate change." Wildlife Research 36, no. 2 (2009): 143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr08086.
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This paper reports a study of ground-dwelling, small mammals in coastal eucalypt forest in south-eastern Australia from 1970 through 2005. During this time, the study area burnt in an intense fire in December 1972 and was partially burnt in November 1980. Both fires were associated with prolonged drought. The mammals studied comprised two dasyurid marsupials, Antechinus agilis and A. swainsonii, two native murid rodents, Rattus fuscipes and R. lutreolus, and the introduced house mouse Mus musculus. After intensive sampling throughout the year from 1970 through 1972 to establish basic ecological and population parameters of the small mammal community, populations were sampled annually during late autumn and early winter before the onset of breeding. There were marked differences in the annual (autumn/winter) abundances of all species; numbers of A. agilis ranged from 4 to 142 individuals; A. swainsonii 0 to 43; R. fuscipes 4 to 54; R. lutreolus 0 to 11; M. musculus 0 to 23. Following the 1972 fire, numbers fell to the lowest level recorded during the study and each population subsequently disappeared from the plot between the 1973 and 1974 winter censuses. The less intense 1980 fire did not lead to extirpation, but numbers of A. agilis, A. swainsonii and R. fuscipes declined as drought conditions persisted through 1983. R. lutreolus occurred consistently only following the fires, when a grassy ground vegetation favoured by this species developed. Similarly, M. musculus colonised within two years of the fires and persisted on the plot for 3–4 years before disappearing. Following the fires, populations of the omnivorous R. fuscipes recovered first followed by the scansorial, insectivorous A. agilis and last by the fossorial, insectivorous A. swainsonii. Two primary conclusions emerged from this study. First, the intense fire of 1972 did not kill all the animals immediately, but led to the disappearance of each species from the plot over 18 months. Thus, intense fire had a delayed but catastrophic impact on small ground-dwelling mammals. The fluctuations in population levels, covering more than an order of magnitude, demonstrate that factors other than fire, such as rainfall and drought, drive the population dynamics of these small mammals. As stability and recovery are not features of local populations, long-term studies of benchmark populations are necessary to manage forest biodiversity.
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Jensen, Melissa A., David C. Paton, and Katherine E. Moseby. "Delayed release improves site fidelity but has little effect on survival or breeding success of reintroduced western quolls ( Dasyurus geoffroii )." Austral Ecology, June 16, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aec.13073.
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