Security Eating, and Diet in the Large Rock-Rat, Zyzomys Woodwardi (Rodentia:Muridae).

Abstract

The diet of Zyzomys woodwardi was studied by the identification of seeds eaten and accumulated in crevices at Nangaloar Caves, Northern Territory. Seeds of 11 species of plants of nutritional significance were identified; the most frequent were Canarium australianum, Terminalia carpentariae and Buchanania obovata. It was concluded that the accumulations of seeds did not represent caches or food hoarding but were the results of seeds being carried by rats to secure positions which provided protection from predators while the hard seed coats were gnawed through.