Diet of the western pygmy possum, Cercartetus concinnus Gould (Marsupialia: Burramyidae), at Innes National Park, South Australia, and evaluation of diet sampling methods
Angela J. L. Pestell A B and Sophie Petit A CA School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
B Current address: Department for Environment and Heritage, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: sophie.petit@unisa.edu.au
Australian Journal of Zoology 55(5) 275-284 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO07037
Submitted: 28 June 2007 Accepted: 4 October 2007 Published: 8 February 2007
Abstract
The diet of a population of western pygmy possums, Cercartetus concinnus Gould (Marsupialia: Burramyidae), at Innes National Park, South Australia, was examined using faecal and fur pollen swab samples in relation to monthly plant phenological data. Eucalyptus pollen was the most abundant in both faeces and in fur swab samples, followed by Melaleuca pollen; plant exudates could not be examined by this study. Moth scales were found in 26% of the scat samples. Faecal samples comprised most plant species identified (15 of 17), but up to 25% of plant species recorded from fur pollen swabs were not recorded from faeces. The relatively high frequencies of plant species represented in fur pollen swabs indicates that this method is valuable for supplementing faecal analysis used to determine plant visitation by nectarivorous animals.
Acknowledgements
Barb Cook, Magda Kluka, Tania Martin, Kathy Penny, Annette Scanlon, and Helen Waudby kindly donated their time for scat analysis. Special thanks to Dr Phil Ainsley, Germplasm Research Coordinator, for allowing us to use the Seed Conservation Centre’s facilities to photograph pollen, and to Todd Erickson for taking the pollen microphotographs. Brian Thomson contributed valuable work as a volunteer, particularly his poems and wonderful stories! Thanks also to our other volunteers: Zane Adams, Julia Burnard, Tony Cook, Laura Fuss, Chris Havelberg, Michael Hodges, Ali Hughes, Michael Jervois, Richy Pestell, Chris Raymond, Phil Roetman, Michael Rosewarne, and Ashley Walker. Roger Clay, Chris Holden, Peggy Rismiller, and two anonymous reviewers kindly reviewed the manuscript. This study was partly funded by a Postgraduate Research Scholarship from the Nature Foundation SA, a grant from the Department for Environment and Heritage’s Northern and Yorke Regional office, an Honours Research Fund from the School of Natural and Built Environments to A. Pestell, and a summer scholarship from the Division of Information Technology, Engineering, and the Environment, University of South Australia. This research was conducted under a National Parks and Wildlife Scientific Permit S24841 1 and approval 59/04 from the IMVS Animal Ethics Committee.
Beattie, A. J. (1971). A technique for the study of insect-borne pollen. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 47, 82.
Carthew, S. M. , and Goldingay, R. L. (1997). Non-flying mammals as pollinators. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 12, 104–108.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dobson, M. , Goldingay, R. L. , and Sharpe, D. J. (2005). Feeding behaviour of the squirrel glider in remnant habitat in Brisbane. Australian Mammalogy 27, 27–35.
Kavanagh, R. P. (1987). Forest phenology and its effects on foraging behaviour and selection of habitat by the yellow-bellied glider, Petaurus australis Shaw. Australian Wildlife Research 14, 371–384.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Law, B. (2001). The diet of the common blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) in upland tropical rainforest and the importance of riparian areas. Wildlife Research 28, 619–626.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pestell, A. J. L. , and Petit, S. (2007). Methods and ethical considerations of pitfall trapping for the western pygmy possum (Cercartetus concinnus Gould) (Marsupialia: Burramyidae), with observations on capture patterns and nest sites. Wildlife Research 34, 296–305.
Scarff, F. R. , Rhind, S. G. , and Bradley, J. S. (1998). Diet and foraging behaviour of brush-tailed phascogales (Phascogale tapoatafa) in the jarrah forest of south-western Australia. Wildlife Research 25, 511–526.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith, A. P. , and Broome, L. S. (1992). The effects of season, sex, and habitat on the diet of the mountain pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus). Wildlife Research 19, 755–768.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Turner, V. (1984). Eucalyptus pollen in the diet of the feathertail glider, Acrobates pygmaeus (Marsupialia: Burramyidae). Australian Wildlife Research 11, 77–81.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)
van Tets, I. G. , and Hulbert, A. J. (1999). A comparison of the nitrogen requirements of the eastern pygmy possum, Cercartetus nanus, on a pollen and on a mealworm diet. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 72, 127–137.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)
van Tets, I. G. , Hutchings, K. , and Nicolson, S. W. (2000). Relative merits of using purified proteins and natural foods in studies of wildlife nutrition: the nitrogen requirements of a rodent pollinator. African Zoology 35, 207–215.
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)
Wakefield, N. A. (1963). The Australian pigmy possums. Victorian Naturalist 80, 99–116.
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)
Wooller, R. D. , Richardson, K. C. , and Bradley, G. O. (1999). Dietary constraints upon reproduction in an obligate pollen- and nectar-feeding marsupial, the honey possum (Tarsipes rostratus). Journal of Zoology 248, 279–287.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)
Wooller, R. D. , Russell, E. M. , and Renfree, M. B. (1983a). Technical note: a technique for sampling pollen carried by vertebrates. Australian Wildlife Research 10, 433–434.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)
Wooller, R. D. , Russell, E. M. , Renfree, M. B. , and Towers, P. A. (1983b). A comparison of seasonal changes in the pollen loads of nectarivorous marsupials and birds. Australian Wildlife Research 10, 311–317.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
![](../../media/share/OpenURL_Image.gif)