Observations on the diet of the Southern Brown Bandicoot, lsoodon obesulus (Marsupialia: Peramelidae), in southern Tasmania.

Abstract

Analysis of 48 faecal samples of lsoodon obesulus, collected over three seasons from Huonville in southern Tasmania, revealed prey representing 36 plant and invertebrate taxa. I. obesulus appears to be a qualitatively opportunistic omnivore feeding on a wide range of invertebrate and plant material. Quantitatively, in terms of type of prey, a large number of disparities exist between arthropod prey items in the diet and in pitfall traps and soil samples. Principal invertebrate items comprised Formicidae, Scarabaeidae larvae, Staphylinidae beetles, Calliphoridae larvae and Araneae. Major plant items were grasses, seeds, clover root nodules, Gasteromycete and Zygomycete fungi. The diet appeared to reflect seasonally and locall y abundant food items.