Ecology of Australian tropical rainforest mammals. II. The Cape York melomys, Melomys capensis (Muridae : Rodentia)

Abstract

This is the first detailed ecological study of the Cape York melomys, Melomys capensis, a small rodent endemic to the Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, Australia. A total of 343 animals was captured 781 times in rainforest at Iron Range during a capture–mark–recapture study from 1989 to 1991. Compared with other species of Melomys in more variable habitats, populations of M. capensis were relatively stable: adjusted mean number on the traplines exhibited a maximum 1.3–2.0-fold difference. The stable demography may be related to the apparently more constant food supply in tropical rainforest. Both population abundance and male reproductive condition peaked in December when the availability of fruit was high, indicating that populations are limited by food supply.

M. capensis was herbivorous, nocturnal, semi-arboreal, and it nested in hollows. Breeding occurred throughout the study. Most litters comprised two young. Young became trappable at about 14 days of age, and reached reproductive maturity at about 43 days of age. Females gave birth to the first litter when they were at least 80 days old and continued to breed into their second year.