Demographic data were gathered from two populations of the little long-tailed
dunnart, Sminthopsis dolichura, inhabiting semi-arid
nature reserves in the Western Australian wheatbelt in order to place the
ecology of this species (formerly part of the
Sminthopsis murina complex) in perspective. In all
respects, S. dolichura is similar to
S. murina from south-eastern Australia, and, indeed, to
most other species of the Sminthopsis group. High
mobility and transiency rates, an extended seasonal pattern of reproduction,
relatively rapid development of the young and the probable existence of
polyoestry characterise the life history of S. dolichura
and most other species within the group that have been studied. These
attributes enable a high degree of reproductive flexibility and permit these
species to opportunistically invade new habitats and ephemeral post-fire seral
stages. The observed sympatry with highly seasonal monoestrous dasyurids of
the genus Antechinus is postulated to occur through
spatial and temporal selection of different microhabitats, but also suggests
that phylogenetic factors may be at least as important as the predictability
of climate and food resources in explaining the evolution of different
reproductive strategies.
THE GENETIC ARCHITECTURE OF WING SIZE DIVERGENCE AT VARYING SPATIAL SCALES ALONG A BODY SIZE CLINE INDROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER
