Dominant and subordinate behaviour of captive brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Abstract

Brushtail possums are generally solitary animals. They use a range of olfactory, auditory, visual, and tactile behaviour to achieve spacing between individuals and to establish dominance hierarchies. Existing descriptions of possum behaviour are either not widely available or incomplete, and the function of dominance hierarchies is unclear. Data presented here were collected incidentally during observations of captive possums to determine the effects on dominance status of suppression of reproduction for biological control. Dominant and subordinate behaviour are described and reviewed. The top-ranking possums in dominance hierarchies were always females. Dominant possums displaced subordinates from food, water, and dens. In our captive setting, only dominant males attempted to mate with females, but dominant and subordinate females produced a similar number of pouch young. In the wild, where resources are limited, we predict that dominance behaviour should limit the frequency and success of breeding by both subordinate males and females.

First record of acoustic behaviour in Sulawesi bear cuscus (Ailurops ursinus)

“…Specifically, phalangerid acoustic behaviours are complex and vary substantially between families and genera, with some species having numerous calls used in various contexts, while other species limited to one known sound (Winter 1976;Kerle 2001). The sounds and observations of associated behavioural displays exhibited by A. ursinus may perform a similar function to those used by other phalangerid species, acting as a defensive threat display in response to potential predators (see Winter 1976;Biggins & Overstreet 1978;Spurr & Jolly 1999;Hogan & Morrow 2015).…”

Scent glands of the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

“…In contrast, Allen (1982) found that introducing captive possums to swabs of paracloacal gland secretions did not elicit much interest apart from casual sniffing. This lack of response may be related to their captivity, since others have found that scent marking did not elicit responses in penned possums (Kean 1967;Spurr & Jolly 1999).…”

“…Possums also have apocrine and Scent glands of the common brushtail possum 199 sebaceous glands associated with large hairs on the pinna and upper lip (Green 1963), and their secretions may be spread by the same behaviour. Saliva and other secretions may be deposited on substrates by gnawing, licking, lip-rubbing, chinning and labial sliding (Biggins 1984;Spurr & Jolly 1999). These scent sources may serve for personal identification (Biggins 1984).…”

“…Although chinning and chesting were most frequently seen, it is likely that the use of paracloacal secretions was likely to be underestimated since these were considered to be passively distributed with urine and faeces. Observations on captive possums found four types of scent marking: rubbing with chin, chest or cloaca, and urine dribbling (Spurr & Jolly 1999). Only two anatomical sites appear to involve specialised scent glands: the cloaca and sternum.…”

Vulpeculin: a novel and abundant lipocalin in the urine of the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula

“…Possums exhibit social behaviours observed in many other mammals, involving social hierarchy, territorial defence, individual recognition and mating [ 17 ]. Dominant males, and occasionally dominant females, exhibit scent marking behaviour including chinning, chesting, cloacal dragging, urine dribbling and face-washing [ 17 , 21 , 22 ]. The purpose of these behaviours has yet to be established, as does the physiological and molecular mechanism behind them.…”