Microbiotheria: Microbiotheriidae) in the Deciduous Forests of Central Chile

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Short communication Presence of Dromiciops gliroides (Microbiotheria: Microbiotheriidae) in the deciduous forests of central Chile

By G. Lobos, A. Charrier, G. Carrasco and R.E. Palma Departamento de Ecologıá and Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ecologıá y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias Biolo´gicas, Pontificia Universidad Cato´lica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Receipt of Ms. 1.2.2005 Acceptance of Ms. 6.6.2005

Key words: Dromiciops gliroides, range expansion, Chile

Dromiciops gliroides Thomas, 1894 (Micro- most distributional limit has been biotheria, Microbiotheriidae) commonly traditionally reported for Concepcio´ n (Re- known as ‘‘monito del monte’’ in Chile, is gion VIII; 371000,721300; Fig. 1), while to the the sole representative of the Order Micro- south it has been found into the Chiloe´ island biotheria and considered a living fossil in the (Region X; ca. 441000,721000). To the east, fauna of South America. The oldest fossil the distribution of the species encompasses record for microbiotherids has been ascribed the provinces of Neuquen and Rio Negro in to the Early Paleocene Tiupampa fauna of Argentina (Hershkovitz 1999). Recently, Bolivia (Gayet et al. 1991). Additional fossils Saavedra and Simonetti (2001) extended the have been reported for the Antarctic Penin- distributional range of Dromiciops to the sula (Middle Eocene; Woodburne and Zins- north, in the central coast of Chile, by meister 1982, 1984) and from the Late trapping a specimen at Reserva Nacional Oligocene and Early Miocene deposits in Los Queules (LQNR 351590S–721410W). the Argentinean Patagonia (Marshall 1982). From a biogeographic perspective the latter Recent fossil findings have been reported for has been an outstanding finding because south – central Chile with two genera and coastal areas in Chile have been considered seven species, with a single living species. a refuge zone for the biota during the last Evolutionary studies at morphological and glacial cycles of the Pleistocene (Armesto molecular levels concluded that this species is et al. 1995; Villagra´ n and Hinojosa 1997). more phylogenetically related to Australian Here, we report an additional finding for the than to South American marsupials (Szalay northern range of D. gliroides in the forests of 1982; Palma and Spotorno 1999; Palma central Chile, thus supporting its occurrence 2003). in the deciduous Maulean forests of that Dromiciops gliroides is a tree climber species area. with nocturnal habits associated to the During a small mammal survey in the winter presence of southern beech forests of the of June 2003 in Reserva Nacional Los Ruiles genus Nothofagus (Fagaceae) and to the (LRNR, 351500–721300W, 224 m), we trapped bamboo of the genus Chusquea (Bambusa- a female sub-adult specimen of D. gliroides ceae, Graminea, Pearson 1995). Its northern- (Fig. 2). The standard measurements (in mm)