LONG DISTANCE AND SHORT TIME MOVEMENT OF A SMALL NEOTROPICAL MARSUPIAL

Authors

  • Camila Santos Barros Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Thaís Kubik Martins Universidade Federal da Paraíba
  • Thomas Puettker Universidade Federal de São Paulo
  • Renata Pardini Universidade de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2016.2003.09

Keywords:

Atlantic forest, dispersal, Gracilinanus microtarsus, Marsupials, Space use

Abstract

Movements of animals play a major role in the ecology of species, as it influence the dynamics of the populations and can connect populations and communities. Here we documented an exceptional long distance daily movement of a small marsupial, Gracilinanus microtarsus, in a two-year capture-recapture study at the Atlantic forest in southeastern Brazil. A sub-adult male moved between grids, a distance of 1.6 km, within 24 hours. This distance is higher than usual distances recorded for this and other small didelphid marsupials and reveals unknown abilities of short-time long distance dispersal. This occasional and exceptional observation brings attention to unknown abilities of space-use of Neotropical marsupials and encourages future studies which could be valuable for conservation of species.

Author Biography

Camila Santos Barros, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Possui graduação em Ciências biológicas pela Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro(2004), mestrado em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro(2006) e doutorado em Ecologia pela Universidade de São Paulo(2013). Tem experiência na área de Ecologia. Atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas:demografia, mamíferos.

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Published

2017-02-24

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (2016): Special Issue on Behavioral Ecology

Section

Short communication