Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr, 1792)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Phalangeridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 456-497 : 483

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Common Brush-tailed Possum

Trichosurus vulpecula

French: Phalanger vulpin / German: Fuchskusu / Spanish: Cuscus de cola de cepillo comin

Other common names: Common Brushtail, Silvergrey Possum

Taxonomy. Didelphis vulpecula Kerr, 1792 ,

“Botany Bay [= Sydney],” New South Wales, Australia.

This species occurs across mainland Australia and Tasmania, and geographical variation is profound. Taxonomy of extinct central Australian populations is unresolved. In the past, the small-bodied subspecies arnhemensis has sometimes been recognized as a separate species, but recent morphological and molecular examinations indicate that it is better recognized as a subspecies of T.. vulpecula . T. johnstonii has often been included within T. vulpecula as a synonym or subspecies, but morphological and molecular examinations suggest it is better recognized as a distinct species that occurs in sympatry with T. vulpecula , although more study is needed to clarify its distinctness and evolutionary history. Five subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

T.v. vulpecula Kerr, 1792 — E & S mainland Australia, from C Queensland to Victoria and South Australia and scattered populations in the arid C Australia, including Magnetic and Prudhoe Is in Queensland and Thistle and Kangaroo Is in South Australia.

T.v. arnhemensis Collett, 1897 — NE Western Australian and the Northern Territory, including Barrow, Melville, and Bathurst Is.

T. v. eburacensis Lonnberg, 1916 — Cape York Peninsula of N Queensland.

T.v. fuliginosus Ogilby, 1831 — Tasmania and Bass Strait Is.

T.v. hypoleucus Wagner, 1855 — SW Western Australia.

Introduced into New Zealand.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 35-55 cm, tail 25-40 cm; weight 1-2—4-5 kg. Most often, the Common Brush-tailed Possum is silver-gray, with a bushy tail that is onehalf gray and black on distal one-half. Underside of last one-third of tail is naked and used for grabbing branches. Populations at the extreme southern end of the distribution in Tasmania (and the introduced population in New Zealand) are much larger, with longer and thicker fur, and are darker in color, with some individuals nearly black. The Common Brush-tailed Possum has much larger ears than other species of Trichosurus and a shorter tail than the Coppery Brush-tailed Possum ( T. johnstonii ).

Habitat. Variety of habitats from rainforest to open woodland and, commonly, many urban areas in towns and larger cities. The most preferred habitat of the Common Brush-tailed Possum appears to be dry eucalypt forests and woodlands.

Food and Feeding. The diet of the Common Brush-tailed Possum is highly variable, with leaves comprising the majority of the diet. The most widespread food sources are various species of Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) , although these are not eaten in proportion to availability; some species are not eaten at all, and others are preferentially consumed. In addition to leaves, flowers and fruits can comprise up to one-half of the diet, and Acacia (Fabaceae) , grasses, ferns, and herbs are also eaten. In Tasmania, Common Brush-tailed Possums feed primarily on Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae) , Phebalium (Rutaceae) , and Pomaderris (Rhamnaceae) .

Breeding. The Common Brush-tailed Possum has a major breeding season in autumn (March-May) and a minor season in spring (September—November), but in tropical and arid regions, they can breed continuously if adequate food is available. Estrous cycle is 26 days, and after successfully mating, 90% of females produce a single young after gestation of 16-18 days. Young spend 4-5 months in the pouch, attached to one of the two teats, after which they ride on the mother’s back for another 1-2 months before being weaned. Female Common Brush-tailed Possums are able to breed at ¢.12 months of age. They typically live less than eleven years of age, but individuals up to 13 years of age have been recorded. Predators include large pythons ( Morelia spp. ), goannas (Varanusspp.), and introduced carnivores including domestic cats, Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and Dingoes (Canis lupus dingo).

Activity patterns. The Common Brush-tailed Possum is nocturnal and dens during the day in tree hollows, tree trunks, fallen logs, rock cavities, and even hollowedout termite mounds. Within urban areas, they readily take refuge within house attics, sheds, garages, and other dark places. They wake up 1-2 hours before sunset when they groom,sit, or move about; they leave their den ¢.30 minutes after sunset, although heavy rain may delay their emergence by up to ¢.5 hours. Time budget for a population of Common Brush-tailed Possums in south-eastern Queensland revealed they spent c.43% of their time stationary, ¢.30% traveling, c.16% feeding, and c.10% grooming, with 91% of activity being arboreal and 9% being terrestrial. Peak activity occurs between 23:00 h and 02:30 h, before they return back to their den several hours before sunrise in winter and just before sunrise in summer.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home range size of the Common Brush-tailed Possum has been estimated to be up to 5-4 ha for males and 2-4 ha for females, with average daily movements of 394 m for males and 261 m for females. Densities are 0-2—4 ind/ha in Australia, but they can be considerably higher in introduced populations in New Zealand (e.g. 25 ind/ha in broadleaf forests of Podocarpus , Podocarpaceae ). There is considerable overlap of home ranges of the same sex, with territorial defense. Common Brush-tailed Possums communicate using scent, with glands on chin, chest, and cloaca being used to mark territories. Chest gland produces a reddish secretion in adult males that stains it dark brown. Vocalizations of Common Brush-tailed Possums are also an important component of communication and include deep guttural coughs and sharp hisses, which are particularly frequent during the breeding season.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Common Brush-tailed Possum is a pest species in New Zealand, where it was introduced from populations in Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales, and it is common in some areas of Australia. Despite abundance of Common Brush-tailed Possums in some metropolitan areas of Australia, it has suffered large-scale declines in distribution and abundance across much ofits distribution, particularly in arid, semi-arid, tropical, and temperate woodlands of northern, south-western, and eastern Australia.

Bibliography. Fitzgerald (1984), Foley & Hume (1987a, 1987b), Green (1984), Kerle (1984c), Kerle & How (2008), MacLennan (1984), Morris, Woinarski, Friend et al. (2008), Ramsay (1888), Wellard & Hume (1981), Woinarski et al. (2014a).

Figures

1. Common Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), 2. Coppery Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus johnstonii), 3. Short-eared Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus caninus), 4. Mountain Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus cunningham), 5. Scaly-tailed Possum (Wyulda squamicaudata), 6. Common Bear Cuscus (Aulurops ursinus), 7. Talaud Bear Cuscus (Aulurops melanotis), 8. Mountain Bear Cuscus (Aulurops furvus), 9. Small Sulawesi Cuscus (Strigocuscus celebensis), 10. Small Sangihe Cuscus (Strigocuscus sangirensis)

Subspecies and Distribution. T.v. vulpecula Kerr, 1792 — E & S mainland Australia, from C Queensland to Victoria and South Australia and scattered populations in the arid C Australia, including Magnetic and Prudhoe Is in Queensland and Thistle and Kangaroo Is in South Australia. T.v. arnhemensis Collett, 1897 — NE Western Australian and the Northern Territory, including Barrow, Melville, and Bathurst Is. T. v. eburacensis Lonnberg, 1916 — Cape York Peninsula of N Queensland. T.v. fuliginosus Ogilby, 1831 — Tasmania and Bass Strait Is. T.v. hypoleucus Wagner, 1855 — SW Western Australia. Introduced into New Zealand.