Spatio-temporal interactions among male and female long-nosed potoroos, Potorous tridactylus (Marsupialia : Macropodoidea): mating system implications

This study investigated the mating system of the long-nosed potoroo, Potoro us tridactylus, by examining temporal associations between individuals, and patterns of home-range overlap. Six adult females and five adult males wer e radio-tracked at intervals throughout the 24-h day from December 1996 to March 1997 in south-western Victoria. Home ranges of individuals overlapped with multiple members of each sex; however, intrasexual overlap was signif icantly lower than intersexual overlap. When data from consecutive radio-tr acking sessions were examined, the locations of resting or 'squat' areas we re identified. These were almost entirely intrasexually exclusive. Male hom e ranges overlapped the squat areas of one or more females; however, males did not regularly associate with every female whose squat area they overlap ped. In three of four cases, pairs of a male and a female associated regula rly and spent a greater proportion of time in close proximity to each other than would be expected if they were moving at random. In the past it has b een assumed that males monitor the sexual status of females while they rest in squats. If this is the case, the mating system of long-nosed potoroos w ill be largely dictated by the number of female squat areas that a male is able to regularly monitor within his home range.