CSIRO Publishing blank image blank image blank image blank imageBooksblank image blank image blank image blank imageJournalsblank image blank image blank image blank imageAbout Usblank image blank image blank image blank imageShopping Cartblank image blank image blank image You are here: Journals > Australian Journal of Zoology   
Australian Journal of Zoology
Journal Banner
  Evolutionary, Molecular and Comparative Zoology
 
blank image Search
 
blank image blank image
blank image
 
  Advanced Search
   

Journal Home
About the Journal
Editorial Board
Contacts
Content
Online Early
Current Issue
Just Accepted
All Issues
Special Issues
Sample Issue
For Authors
General Information
Notice to Authors
Submit Article
Open Access
For Referees
Referee Guidelines
Review Article
Annual Referee Index
For Subscribers
Subscription Prices
Customer Service

blue arrow e-Alerts
blank image
Subscribe to our Email Alert or RSS feeds for the latest journal papers.

red arrow Connect with us
blank image
facebook   youtube

red arrow Supplementary Series
blank image
All volumes of the Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series are online and available to subscribers of Australian Journal of Zoology.

 

Article << Previous     |     Next >>   Contents Vol 54(5)

Comparison of growth and development of the red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) in three captive colonies

W. K. Foster A D E, A. J. Bradley B, W. Caton C, D. A. Taggart A D

A School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
B School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
C Alice Springs Desert Park, Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia.
D Royal Zoological Society of South Australia, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: wendy.foster@adelaide.edu.au
 
PDF (348 KB) $25
 Export Citation
 Print
  


Abstract

The red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) is an endangered dasyurid species that has recently been brought into captivity in an effort to increase numbers before release back into the wild. As part of investigations into the reproductive biology of the species, information on the growth and development of young was collected throughout lactation from litters raised in three separate colonies. Growth curves for aging young throughout lactation and a timetable of developmental changes were constructed. While two colonies, with fourth- and fifth-generation captive animals, showed no significant difference in growth, animals from a third colony that had been wild caught before breeding displayed a slower rate of growth from 34 days of age. The pattern of development resembled that of other dasyurids, with young left in the nest from 44 days of age, fully furred by 78 days and weaned between 90 and 110 days. Captive phascogales invest heavily in their young, with litters weighing 380 ± 67% of maternal bodyweight at weaning.

   
Subscriber Login
Username:
Password:  

    
Legal & Privacy | Contact Us | Help

CSIRO

© CSIRO 1996-2013