Population characteristics of Dromiciops gliroides (Philippi, 1893), an endemic marsupial of the temperate forest of Patagonia

RODRÍGUEZ-CABAL, M. A., G. C. AMICO, A. J. NOVARO, AND M. A. AIZEN

MAMMALIAN BIOLOGY

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2008 vol. 73 p. 74 - 76

1616-5047

Dromiciops gliroides is the only living representative of Microbiotheriidae, one of the oldest lineages of marsupials. Endemic to the northern portion of the temperate forest of Patagonia, it dwells mainly in old-growth Nothofagus forest, and morphological, chromosomal and molecular studies suggest it shares more phylogenetic affinity with the Australian than with other South American marsupials. Recent research suggests that the species may. Its role as a disperser of seeds of 80% of the flora with fleshy fruits and the sole disperser of the keystone mistletoe Tristerix corymbosus makes this marsupial essential for preservation of biodiversity of the temperate forest of Patagonia. The objectives of this study were to estimate population abundance, and to describe the population structure of monitos del monte in an old-growth Nothofagus forest in the temperate forest of Patagonia. This study constitutes the first detailed ecological research focused on the identification of the population characteristics of the monito del monte.