. The Ecology of arboreal folivores : a symposium held at the Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, May 29-31, 1975 . Figure 11. Maxillary central incisor size among phalangeroid marsupials. Logc sum of the maximum mesio-distal crown diameters of the maxillary central incisors is plotted against loge body mass. Symbols: 1, Cercartetus concinnus; 2, Eudromicia caudatus; 3, Distoechurus pennatus; 4, Petaurus breviceps; 5, Dactylonax palpator; 6, Dactylopsila trivirgata; 7, Pseudocheirus peregrinus; 8, Pseu. lemuroides; 9, Pseu. corinnae; 10, Pseu. c
. The Ecology of arboreal folivores : a symposium held at the Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, May 29-31, 1975 . Figure 11. Maxillary central incisor size among phalangeroid marsupials. Logc sum of the maximum mesio-distal crown diameters of the maxillary central incisors is plotted against loge body mass. Symbols: 1, Cercartetus concinnus; 2, Eudromicia caudatus; 3, Distoechurus pennatus; 4, Petaurus breviceps; 5, Dactylonax palpator; 6, Dactylopsila trivirgata; 7, Pseudocheirus peregrinus; 8, Pseu. lemuroides; 9, Pseu. corinnae; 10, Pseu. cupreus; 11, Trichosurus vulpecula; 12, Phalanger vestitus; 13, Phal. orientalis; 14, Phal. maculatus; 15, Phascolarctos cinereus. rip, and gnaw into wood with their incisors searching for wood-boring grubs. Both species show relatively enlarged large incisors. Petaurus breviceps also has extremely large incisors (Figure 11). This species eats a large amount of tree sap. Access to this sap is gained by gnawing into the young branches of various trees (Troughton, 1951; Ride, 1970). Fleay (1933a) noted that on occasion captive Petaurus can even gnaw its way out of cages using its incisors. Unfortunately, there are very little behavioral data on food ingestion or acquisition in phalangeroids. On the basis of their relatively large incisors, it seems likely that marsupials such as Pseudocheirus cupreus and Trichosurus vulpecula engage in much more incisal biting or gnawing activities than Pseudocheirus peregrinus or Pseudocheirus lemuroides. Cercartetus concinnus has relatively very small incisors. Compared to species of Petaurus and Distoechurus, it probably engages in relatively little incisal gnawing or biting during the acquisition or ingestion of food. The last lower premolar of phalangeroids is often enlarged with a serated edge (Figure 14), and it proba- bly functions primarily during ingestion. Insects, leaves, or stems presumably must be cut into manage- able pieces before
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcolle, booksubjectleaves, booksubjectmammals
