
%0 Journal Article
%A Soderquist, TR 
%T Maternal Strategies of Phascogale-Tapoatafa (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) .2. Juvenile Thermoregulation and Maternal Attendance
%J Australian Journal of Zoology
%D 1993/12/01
%V 41
%N 6
%P 567-576
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9930567
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/ZO9930567 
%X When juvenile Phascogale tapoatafa first release the maternal teats and are left in the nursery nest (c. 48 days of age), they lack fur, weight about 4 g, and are poikilothermic. Thermoregulation of wild litters was measured using a temperature-sensitive radio-transmitter inserted into the huddled litter after the mother's departure at night. On cold nights (less-than-or-equal-to 10-degrees-C), juveniles lose heat rapidly in the absence of their mother, with litter temperatures declining to an average of 6-degrees-C in 4 h. Litter temperatures of 3-degrees-C were common. Maternal attendance (incubation) is frequent and of long duration during the early-nesting period, then decreases as juveniles acquire fur and develop endothermy. The mother contributes to litter thermoregulation and security by constructing a large nest of bark, feathers and fur in a tree cavity with a small entrance hole. 
