Summer food habits of the Patagonian opossum, Lestodelphys halli (Thomas, 1921), in southern arid Patagonian shrub-steppes

Abstract

The summer diet of the Patagonian opossum Lestodelphys halli was studied in southern Argentinean Patagonia. Faeces of opossums captured alive and stomach contents from dead animals were collected and analyzed. A wide variety of invertebrates (87.2% frequency of occurrence) followed by birds and reptiles (10.64%) occurred both in faeces and stomachs, and fruits were occasionally consumed. Although the Patagonian opossum was reported as a carnivorous species in captivity, feeding mainly on rodents, reptiles, birds and invertebrates, we did not find remains of rodents in the diet of the opossums. We suggest that Patagonian opossums are not an efficient rodent predator in the wild. The high consumption of invertebrates, reptiles, birds and fruits during the warm season when these items are abundant reflects the opportunistic behavior of this species.

Estudiamos la dieta estival de la comadrejita patagónica Lestodelphys halli en el sureste de la Patagonia Argentina, por medio del análisis de contenidos estomacales provenientes de animales muertos y de fecas. Encontramos una gran variedad de invertebrados (87,2% de frecuencia de ocurrencia) seguido de aves y reptiles (10,64%) tanto en estómagos como en fecas. Los frutos fueron escasos en la dieta. En cautividad, la comadrejita patagónica se alimenta fundamentalmente de roedores, reptiles, aves e invertebrados. Sin embargo, no encontramos restos de roedores en la dieta de la comadrejita. Sugerimos que la comadrejita patagónica no es un predador eficiente de roedores en estado silvestre. El alto consumo de invertebrados, reptiles, aves y frutos durante el verano, cuando estos ítems son abundantes, refleja el comportamiento oportunista de esta especie.