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Marsupial evolution and morphological diversity is traditionally viewed against the background of marsupial life history, central to which are the highly altricial neonates that actively move towards the teat. It has been suggested that this mode of birth leads to a constraint on the marsupial postcranial diversity. However, apart from phylogenetic investigations, few empirical studies have assessed diversity, patterns of adaptation, or ontogeny of the marsupial postcranium. This thesis contributes to the debate by providing diverse, large-scale empirical data on selected issues of marsupial postcranial evolution, using multidisciplinary approaches with focus on quantitative analysis. Chapter 1 provides an overview on previous research on this topic. Chapter 2 assesses the phylogenetic and functional-anatomical implications of marsupial carpal diversity. Chapter 3 is a phylogenetically informed morphometric analysis of diprotodontian manual digits, demonstrating locomotor adaptations similar to those in placentals and allowing the development of a new locomotor predictor ratio. Chapter 4 shows that functional correlates of digit proportions in Diprotodontia also exist in the placental hystricomorph rodents, which resemble Diprotodontia in ecological diversity. Chapter 5 applies the results from Chapters 2-4 to the mostly extinct diprotodontian suborder Vombatiformes, revealing functionally related parallelism in the hand of vombatiforms and kangaroos and questioning previous concepts of locomotion in early vombatiforms. Chapter 6 focuses on the evolution of marsupial syndactyly using a multidisciplinary approach including morphometrics and ossification sequence analysis. The results suggest that syndactylous digits evolve as a functional unit; syndactyly may arise through alteration of developmental patterns as suggested by ossification sequence heterochrony. Chapter 7 is a combined analysis of ossification sequences in marsupial and placental postcrania. The results suggest that the special locomotor and developmental requirements on marsupial neonates may metabolically and mechanically impact postcranial ossification patterns, delaying hindlimb development and accelerating ossification of the anterior torso. Chapter 8 summarises the research presented in this thesis and suggests directions for future work on marsupial postcranial evolution, particularly with respect to integrating information on postcranial diversity with ontogenetic work on morphogen expression patterns.

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Relationships within Planigalini have not been fully resolved in previous studies that employed only a few (1-3) genes. I employ a mutligene approach that has shown to be robust for other dasyurid tribes. An analysis was undertaken to assess relationships among the currently recognized Planigale species and two potentially new species from the Pilbara and Mount Tom Price regions of Western Australia. This study uses seven genes for phylogenetic estimation. An expanded dataset of mitochondrial 16S DNA sequences from across Australia was also analyzed to assess phylogeographic patterns in Planigale species. Internal nodes from concatenated and species tree analyses are not well supported. This group may be subject to ILS or past introgression; however more data are needed to differentiate between these phenomena. Results from individual genes do not agree on a single topology of relationships. The results from nuclear genes include strong support for internal nodes from protamine P1, but not beta fibrinogen intron 7 and inter-photoreceptor retinoid-binding protein. The mitochondrial gene analyses show few nodes as well supported, but agree that P. maculata and P. novaeguineae are sisters. The expanded 16S dataset agrees with previous work in that there are regional groupings of P. maculata haplotypes. Current ranges for planigale species are poorly documented and the entire genus warrants further investigation to determine whether there are more species than current taxonomy recognizes.

Orientadores: Sergio Furtado dos Reis, Cibele Queiroz da Silva / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-03T20:54:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martins_EduardoGuimaraes_M.pdf: 1025576 bytes, checksum: decfa56a6b5116b10b4d83a367a74da9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Mestrado

Orientador : Augusto Shynia Abe / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-14T09:05:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernandez_FernandoA.S_M.pdf: 13186786 bytes, checksum: 6e46e9dc640f3a05f2fcfe3a802e1e1c (MD5) Previous issue date: 1989 / Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar uma comunidade de pequenos mamíferos na restinga de barra de marica, no estado do Rio de janeiro. Foram estudados vários aspectos da dinâmica de populações das espécies mais comuns na área, bem como, padrões de uso do espaço (áreas de vida e distribuições espaciais) e uso do tempo (horários de atividade). Numa área de vegetação densa (mata de restinga), aproximadamente no centro do cordão arenoso primário de barra de marica, foi marcada uma grade de um hectare, mais linhas de avaliação totalizando seis hectares. Neste local um estudo de marcação e recaptura foi desenvolvido entre janeiro de 1986 e outubro de 1987...Observação: O resumo, na íntegra, poderá ser visualizado no texto completo da tese digital / Abstract: The goal of this work was to study a cammunity of small mammals at the -restinga" of Barra, de Marica in Rio de Janeiro state. Several aspects of papulatioi dynamics of the most frequent species were studied, as.well as patterns in the use of space (home ranges anel spacial distributions) and use of time (ativicty patterns). An 1 ha grid, plus assessment lines covering 6 ha altogether, were marked in an area of dense vegetation (¿mata de restlnga") at the center of the primary sand barrier in Barra de Maricá. At this point a mark-recapture study was performed from january, 1986 to october, 1987...Note: The complete abstract is available with the full electronic digital thesis or dissertations / Mestrado / Ecologia / Mestre em Ciências Biológicas

Four main types of viruses capable of causing systemic and gastrointestinal infections, namely Coronavirus, Rotavirus, Parvovirus or Morbillivirus (Tennant et al, 1991) have been investigated in marsupials. A pilot study to develop and optimise the methodology was undertaken using Canine Coronavirus and the study was then extended to marsupials and other target viruses.In the marsupial portion of the study, a fragment of the correct size for the amplification of pol gene, 409 bp, was obtained from two different faecal samples from tammar wallaby (from Macquarie Fauna Park) and one western grey kangaroo (from Taronga Zoo). The results from tests are studied and compared. It is suggested that future further investigation should be directed at: 1/. Applying the protocols in this body of work to the testing of faecal samples from animals that have been diagnosed as positive with other diagnostic protocols. 2/. Examining more faecal samples from animals that present with active diarrhoea / Master of Science (Hons)

Orientadores: Sergio Furtado dos Reis, Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T21:49:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pires_MathiasMistretta_M.pdf: 1574515 bytes, checksum: 8ed1257891270ac7fccd8f970209e11f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: A teoria do nicho como originalmente concebida baseia-se na pressuposição que os indivíduos de uma espécie ou população são ecologicamente equivalentes. Entretanto fatores endógenos e exógenos podem contribuir para a existência de variação nas dimensões do nicho. Nesse contexto foi estudada a ecologia alimentar do marsupial Micoureus paraguayanus em uma área de Cerrado com o objetivo de identificar os fatores endógenos e exógenos que influenciam na sua dieta e os padrões de subdivisão do nicho trófico populacional entre os indivíduos da população. A composição da dieta e a amplitude do nicho trófico foram fortemente influenciadas pela sazonalidade, havendo ainda diferenças relacionadas aos sexos no uso de recursos. No período de escassez de recursos alimentares, durante a estação fria?seca, houve ampliação do nicho trófico populacional devido ao aumento da variação interindividual na dieta. Essa variação resulta na ocorrência de indivíduos com dietas mais restritas compostas por subconjuntos do espectro de recursos usado pelos indivíduos com dietas menos restritas. Esses resultados adicionam M. paraguayanus a uma lista crescente de espécies onde tem sido demonstrada variação no uso de recursos e relatam a emergência de estrutura nas interações tróficas no nível dos indivíduos da população, abrindo caminho para uma nova área de interesse em ecologia alimentar / Abstract: Niche theory as originally formulated is based upon the assumption that the individuals within a species or population are ecolgically equivalent. However endogenous and exogenous factors may contribute to the existence of variation in niche dimensions. In this context, I studied the feeding ecology of the didelphid marsupial Micoureus paraguayanus in a Cerrado (savannah-like) remnant with the objective of identifying the factors that affect its diet and the patterns of trophic niche subdivision amongthe individuals within the population. The dietary composition and trophic niche width were highly affected by seasonality with differences in resource use related o sex. In the cool?dry season, when resources are scarcer, niche was broader due to increased interindividual diet variation. This variation results in the occurrence of individuals with different degrees of diet generalization within the population sch that individuals with more constrained diets use subsets of the resource spectrum used by those individuals with broader dies. These results add M. paraguayanus to a growing list of species showing interindividual diet variation and show the emergence of structure in the trphic interactions at the individual?level, creating new avenues for future research in feeding ecology / Mestrado / Mestre em Ecologia

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, 2015. / No presente estudo, investigamos diferentes aspectos da estratificação vertical de pequenos mamíferos em ambientes florestais do Cerrado. Além de descrevermos padrões gerais no uso do espaço vertical de marsupiais e roedores, investigamos possíveis variações na utilização dos estratos verticais (solo, sub-bosque [1-4 m de altura] e dossel [> 7m de altura]) pelos animais, levando em consideração duas diferentes fitofisionomias (mata de galeria e cerradão), estações do ano (seca e chuva) e disponibilidade de recursos (artrópodes e frutos). Além disso, nós comparamos a seleção de hábitat de seis espécies de roedores e três espécies de marsupiais em ambas fitofisionomias, avaliando variáveis relacionadas com a complexidade do hábitat. Para isso, consideramos a microescala (estações de captura), a mesoescala (transecções de estações de captura) e as capturas em cada um dos estratos verticais amostrados. Também descrevemos e comparamos a habilidade de locomoção arborícola de sete espécies de roedores sigmodontíneos do Cerrado. Para tanto, realizamos testes por meio de suportes cilíndricos horizontais (nicho fundamental) e relacionamos os resultados com dados de arborealidade obtidos em campo desses animais (nicho realizado). Das 11 espécies capturadas, o marsupial Caluromys lanatus foi capturado somente no dossel em ambas fitofisionomias. O marsupial Monodelphis americana e o roedor Calomys expulsus em cerradão, e o roedor Proechimys roberti em mata de galeria, foram capturados somente no solo. Dentre as espécies que utilizaram somente o solo e o sub-bosque (em ambas fitofisionomias), estavam os roedores Hylaeamys megacephalus (primariamente terrestre), Oligoryzomys nigripes e O. fornesi (escansoriais). As espécies que utilizaram os três estratos verticais (em diferentes intensidades) foram os marsupiais Didelphis albiventris, Gracilinanus agilis, e os roedores Oecomys cf. roberti e Rhipidomys macrurus. Nossos resultados indicaram que R. macrurus utiliza mais o dossel em cerradão, e que o G. agilis utiliza com maior intensidade o solo e o sub-bosque na estação seca em ambas fitofisionomias. Além disso, verificamos associações entre a utilização dos estratos verticais e a disponibilidade de frutos (G. agilis, O. cf. roberti e R. macrurus), e a biomassa de artrópodes (R. macrurus), coleópteros (O. cf. roberti e R. macrurus) e lepidópteros (G. agilis). Também verificamos que, em mata de galeria, existe a tendência de um acréscimo de espécies quando os diferentes estratos verticais são considerados, e que a diversidade beta entre estratos verticais é maior do que entre áreas. Adicionalmente, nossos resultados de seleção de hábitat indicaram que na microescala, a seleção do hábitat diferiu entre as duas fitofisionomias, e que os animais tenderam a selecionar caraterísticas importantes para a locomoção arborícola (e.g., densidade de lianas em mata e número de estratos verticais em cerradão). Também verificamos que, para a mesoescala, a seleção de variáveis do hábitat foi importante somente no cerradão, onde animais arborícolas selecionaram áreas com maior densidade de ramos. Já os resultados de seleção do hábitat, levando em consideração estratos verticais, indicaram que as espécies que utilizam o dossel e o sub-bosque tendem a selecionar características mais relacionadas à locomoção arborícola (número de estratos verticais e densidade de ramos em cerradão, e densidade de lianas em mata de galeria), enquanto que animais que utilizam o solo selecionaram características relacionadas à proteção contra predadores (principalmente profundidade da serapilheira e densidade de ramos em ambas fitofisionomias). Nossos resultados de habilidade de locomoção de roedores revelaram que animais predominantemente arborícolas apresentaram maiores velocidades em comparação com roedores terrestres. Tal velocidade se deu por meio do aumento da frequência de passos e diminuição do tamanho de passos. Adicionalmente, verificamos uma forte associação entre capturas acima do solo e o tamanho e frequência de passos. Contudo, tais aspectos da habilidade de locomoção tiveram fraca relação com a massa corporal e não tiveram relação com a filogenia das espécies analisadas. / In the present study, we investigated different aspects of vertical stratification of small mammals in forest formations of the Cerrado. In addition to describing general patterns of vertical use by marsupials and rodents, we also investigated possible variations in use of the vertical strata (ground, understory [1-4 m high] and canopy [> 7m high]) by the animals, taking into consideration different two phytophysiognomies (gallery forest and dry woodland - cerradão), seasons (cool-dry and warm-wet) and resource availability (arthropods and fruits). Additionally, we verified habitat selection by six rodents and three marsupials in both forest formations, evaluating variables related to habitat complexity. In this context, we considered the micro-habitat scale (capture stations), the meso-habitat scale (transects of capture stations), and captures in each sampled vertical strata. We also described and compared arboreal locomotion ability of seven sigmodontine rodent species of the Cerrado. For that, we performed tests using horizontal cylindrical supports (fundamental niche), and associated these results with arboreality data of the animals captured in the field (realized niche). Among the 11 captured species, the marsupial Caluromys lanatus was captured, in both physiognomies, only in the canopy. The marsupial Monodelphis americana and the rodent Calomys expulsus were captured in the dry woodland, and the rodent Proechimys roberti in the gallery forest, were captured only on the ground. Among the species that used the ground and understory, were the rodent Hylaeamys megacephalus (mainly terrestrial) and Oligoryzomys nigripes and O. fornesi (scansorials). The species that used the three vertical strata (in different intensities) were the marsupials Didelphis albiventris and Gracilinanus agilis, and the rodents Oecomys cf. roberti and Rhipidomys macrurus. Our results showed that R. macrurus used the canopy more intensely in the dry woodland compared to gallery forest, and G. agilis used the ground and understory in higher intensity in the cool-dry season in both physiognomies. Additionally, we verified a relation between vertical strata utilization and availability of fruits (G. agilis, O. cf. roberti e R. macrurus), and biomass of arthropods (R. macrurus), coleopterans (O. cf. roberti e R. macrurus), and lepidopterans (G. agilis). We also verified that in gallery forest, there is an increase in species considering different vertical strata, and also that beta diversity is higher among strata than among areas. Our results related to habitat selection showed that at micro-habitat scale, habitat selection differed between the two forest formations, and the animals tended to select habitat features that are important for arboreal locomotion (e.g., density of lianas in gallery forest and number of vertical layers in dry woodland). We also verified habitat selection in the meso-habitat scale only in the dry woodland by more arboreal animals, preferring areas with higher density of branches. We also found that animals captured in the canopy and understory tended to select habitat variables more related to arboreal locomotion (number of vertical layers and density of branches in dry woodland, and density of lianas in gallery forest), while animals captured on the ground selected habitat variables more related to protection against predators (mainly litter depth and density of branches in both forest formations). Our results on locomotion ability of rodents showed that arboreal species generally present higher velocities in comparison with terrestrial species. Such velocities were obtained by the animals by increasing stride frequency and decreasing stride length. Additionally, our results also showed a strong association between above-ground captures and stride length and frequency. However, these performance aspects were weakly related to body mass and had no relation to phylogeny of the studied species.

The Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) is a small marsupial endemic to the Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in the south-west of Western Australia. The Gilbert’s potoroo is classified as Australia’s most critically endangered mammal (IUCN 2006) with an estimated population of only 35 individuals. This thesis examines the health and disease status of the Gilbert’s potoroo, presenting a strong case for the relatively new concept of disease as a potential threatening factor and modifier of population decline. Specific diseases, including Cryptococcus, ectoparasitism, endoparasitism, haemoparasitism, Toxoplasma and a novel Treponema organism are extensively studied. An assessment of the clinical significance of these diseases is made, and management strategies are recommended to minimise the impact of these diseases on both the wild and captive population. The novel Treponema organism which clinically presents with tenacious, green discharge and an associated balanoposthitis in males is molecularly characterized. Epidemiological studies show the effects of this agent on reproductive function and a penicillin-based treatment regime is trialled in the analogous long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) with a recommendation to then trial this treatment regime in the critically endangered Gilbert’s potoroo. Standard haematological and urinalysis findings are tabulated to form reference ranges for this species. A treatment regime for Cryptococcus in the analogous long-nosed potoroo is reported and parasitological findings, including the identification of a novel tick species are discussed. This thesis addresses key health issues, which have subsequently been incorporated into the Recovery Plan of the Gilbert’s potoroo. A document encompassing multiple disciplines and expertise to support the recovery of this critically endangered marsupial in its current environment. In addition, this thesis outlines a recommended health monitoring and treatment protocol for future translocation procedures and provides a working example of the emerging importance of health monitoring in threatened species recovery programs.