An Observation on the Nest-Building Behavior of the Opossum

Smith, Luther

doi:10.1093/jmammal/22.2.201

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…The tail may also provide some degree of insurance against falling during walking, clambering, and bridging on small (terminal) branches, where the tail can rapidly grasp a branch for stabilization (Schmitt and Lemelin, 2002). In more terrestrial forms, nest building and object manipulation appear to be the primary roles of the prehensile tail (Smith, 1941; Layne 1951; Unger, 1982).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is hypothesized that the distribution of fast muscle fibers identified will contain a majority of the fast, MHC‐2A isoform. D. virginiana has a terrestrial locomotor habit, and their prehensile tail may be used more for adaptive behaviors involving object carrying and manipulation (e.g., nest building: Smith, 1941). These tasks require periods of prolonged low force production typical of oxidative fibers.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Myosin Isoform Fiber Type and Fiber Size in the Tail of the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Hazimihalis

Gorvet

Butcher

2012

The Anatomical Record

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Muscle fiber type is a well studied property in limb muscles, however, much less is understood about myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression in caudal muscles of mammalian tails. Didelphid marsupials are an interesting lineage in this context as all species have prehensile tails, but show a range of tail-function depending on either their arboreal or terrestrial locomotor habits. Differences in prehensility suggest that MHC isoform fiber types may also be different, in that terrestrial opossums may have a large distribution of oxidative fibers for object carrying tasks instead of faster, glycolytic fiber types expected in mammals with long tails. To test this hypothesis, MHC isoform fiber type and their regional distribution (proximal/transitional/distal) were determined in the tail of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Fiber types were determined by a combination of myosin-ATPase histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and SDS-PAGE. Results indicate a predominance of the fast MHC-2A and -2X isoforms in each region of the tail. The presence of two fast isoforms, in addition to the slow MHC-1 isoform, was confirmed by SDS-PAGE analysis. The overall MHC isoform fiber type distribution for the tail was: 25% MHC-1, 71% MHC-2A/X hybrid, and 4% MHC-1/2A hybrid. Oxidative MHC-2A/X isoform fibers were found to be relatively large in cross-section compared to slow, oxidative MHC-1 and MHC-1/2A hybrid fibers. A large percentage of fast MHC-2A/X hybrids fibers may be suggestive of an evolutionary transition in MHC isoform distribution (fast-to-slow fiber type) in the tail musculature of an opossum with primarily a terrestrial locomotor habit and adaptive tail-function. Anat Rec,

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Myosin Isoform Fiber Type and Fiber Size in the Tail of the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Hazimihalis

Gorvet

Butcher

2012

The Anatomical Record

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“…The tail was then curled around the material and directed posteriorly in a nearly horizontal plane. Unlike the opossum described by Smith (1941), all of the motions of gathering and packing the material were slow and deliberate except for the backward thrusts of the hind limbs. Once the material was gripped in its tail, the opossum usually trundled back to its nest box, although it sometimes wandered about or fed and then went to the box with or without the tissue.…”

Section: Distribution and Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The young were an estimated 88 to 97 days old when the initial observations were made. The behavior had been previously noted only in the case of adults and in individuals "more than half grown" (Smith, 1941). 1.…”

Section: Distribution and Activity Patternsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Some Aspects of the Ecology of the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana virginiana Kerr 1792) in an Urban Environment

Hopkins¹

2000

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“…The detailed behavior of how D. virginiana collects and carries materials to build a nest is as follows. First, it takes a piece of building material with the mouth, then uses the front legs to pass it under the abdomen and places it on the curved tail under its body; last, using the hind legs, it pushes the material to the curve of its tail, which is then rolled over to hold the material during the trip to the nesting site (Smith 1941;Layne 1951). This behavior seems to be the same in D. marsupialis, except that when the tail is full, females also use the marsupium to carry the material; the latter may be an exceptional report (Delgado-Velez et al 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Notes on the behavior of opossum (Didelphis sp.) in the wild in Usumacinta Canyon, México

et al. 2021

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Los tlacuaches son animales nocturnos, generalistas y oportunistas; no obstante, se conoce poco de su conducta en vida silvestre, ya que la mayoría de los estudios existentes son en cautiverio. En esta nota se reporta la conducta de Didelphis sp. en vida silvestre utilizando fotos y videos de una cámara trampa, resaltando el uso de la cola para transportar material. En el Cañón del Usumacinta, Estado de Tabasco, México, se colocó una cámara trampa el 8 de abril de 2020; se dejó funcionando y programada para tomar fotografías y videos. Se revisó el 2 de mayo del mismo año, identificando y separando los archivos correspondientes a Didelphis sp. Se identificó la conducta observada, considerando la hora y el sexo de cada individuo identificado. Se obtuvieron 209 registros de fauna silvestre, de los cuales 55 correspondieron a Didelphis sp., todos capturados durante la noche. Se identificaron 5 conductas principales dentro de las que destacan el tránsito con crías en el lomo y el transporte de material vegetal con la cola, probablemente hojas de garabato (Celtis iguanaea) para la construcción del nido. La mayoría de las conductas observadas corresponden al forrajeo; sin embargo, se reporta, por primera vez para México, el comportamiento de transportar material vegetal con la cola, presumiblemente para construir su nido. También, se reportan 3 picos de actividad durante la noche y se observa a una hembra con crías en el marsupio y posteriormente en su lomo.

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An Observation on the Nest-Building Behavior of the Opossum

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Myosin Isoform Fiber Type and Fiber Size in the Tail of the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Myosin Isoform Fiber Type and Fiber Size in the Tail of the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Some Aspects of the Ecology of the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana virginiana Kerr 1792) in an Urban Environment

Notes on the behavior of opossum (Didelphis sp.) in the wild in Usumacinta Canyon, México

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