Petaurus Breviceps Research Articles

Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System of Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps).

The present study provides a detailed macroscopic examination (with some microscopic insights) of the genital apparatus of seven adult and intact male sugar gliders, as well as one castrated individual. The scrotum is pendulous and attached to the ventral abdominal wall, situated in the caudal part of the abdomen and cranial to the cloacal opening. The testes are oval shaped with their long axes oriented vertically. The epididymides are attached along the caudomedial border of their respective testes. The head and tail of the epididymides are in close proximity to the poles of the testes but are not directly attached. The deferent ducts are positioned laterally to their ipsilateral ureter as they run near the dorsal surface of the urinary bladder. The ampulla of the deferent duct is absent. The penis is located post-scrotally, lacks insertion into the bony pelvis, and has a bifid distal end. The crura of the penis originate within the ischiocavernosus muscles, and there are two bulbs of the penis. When flaccid, the entire penis is concealed in the perineal region and externalizes through an orifice situated in the ventral part of the cloaca, traversing its floor towards the cloacal opening. The urethral external orifice is positioned at the point where the bifurcation of the free part of the penis begins. The prostate gland resides in the pelvic cavity and consists of two parts: a macroscopically visible body surrounding the urethra and a microscopically identifiable portion embedded within the walls of the duct. Sugar gliders possess two pairs of bulbous bulbourethral glands, located dorsally and laterally to the rectum, but lack vesicular glands.

Marsupial immune protection is shaped by enhancer sharing and gene cluster duplication of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides.

Marsupial neonates are born with immature immune systems, making them vulnerable to pathogens. While neonates receive maternal protection, they can also independently combat pathogens, though the mechanisms remain unknown. Using the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) as a model, we investigated immunological defense strategies of marsupial neonates. Cathelicidins, a family of antimicrobial peptides expanded in the genomes of marsupials, are highly expressed in developing neutrophils. Sugar glider cathelicidins reside in two genomic clusters and their coordinated expression is achieved by enhancer sharing within clusters and long-range physical interactions between clusters. These cathelicidins modulate immune responses and have potent antimicrobial effects, sufficient to provide protection in a mouse model of sepsis. Lastly, cathelicidins have a complex evolutionary history, where marsupials and monotremes are the only tetrapods that retained two cathelicidin clusters. Thus, cathelicidins are critical mediators of marsupial immunity, and their evolution reflects the life history-specific immunological needs of these animals.

Fused in sarcoma (FUS) inhibits milk production efficiency in mammals

Efficient milk production in mammals confers evolutionary advantages by facilitating the transmission of energy from mother to offspring. However, the regulatory mechanism responsible for the gradual establishment of milk production efficiency in mammals, from marsupials to eutherians, remains elusive. Here, we find that mammary gland of the marsupial sugar glider contained milk components during adolescence, and that mammary gland development is less dynamically cyclic compared to that in placental mammals. Furthermore, fused in sarcoma (FUS) is found to be partially responsible for this establishment of low efficiency. In mouse model, FUS inhibit mammary epithelial cell differentiation through the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57Kip2, leading to lactation failure and pup starvation. Clinically, FUS levels are negatively correlated with milk production in lactating women. Overall, our results shed light on FUS as a negative regulator of milk production, providing a potential mechanism for the establishment of milk production from marsupial to eutherian mammals.

Cholangiocarcinoma with carcinomatosis in a sugar glider.

A 7-y-old, castrated male, leucistic sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) was presented because of a progressive history of lethargy, ataxia, diarrhea, and anorexia. Abdominal ultrasound revealed fluid in the abdomen and an infiltrative mass in the liver. Due to a poor prognosis, euthanasia was performed. Postmortem examination revealed a focally extensive, infiltrative, off-white, firm mass in the liver with adhesion to the omentum, mesentery, gastric serosa, and diaphragm. The remaining hepatic parenchyma was diffusely yellow. Histologically, the hepatic mass was consistent with metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (cholangiocellular carcinoma) with proliferation of neoplastic epithelial cells surrounded by marked desmoplasia. Neoplastic cells expanded and infiltrated the adjacent omentum, mesentery, and the serosal surfaces of the stomach, kidney, and small and large intestines. To our knowledge, cholangiocarcinoma has not been reported previously in a sugar glider.

Gliding performance in the inland sugar glider in low-canopy forest

Knowledge of the gliding performance of gliding mammals provides important insight into how these species have evolved to use their environment but it can also be used to guide tree retention and habitat restoration. We investigated the glide performance of the inland sugar glider (Petaurus notatus) in central Victoria. We measured 40 glides from untagged individuals during nest box monitoring. On average, gliders launched into a glide from a height of 14.7 m above the ground and landed at 6.2 m above the ground. The average horizontal glide distance was 18.1 m (range 8–41 m). The glide ratio (horizontal glide distance/height dropped) and glide angle averaged 2.2 and 26.4°, respectively. These values represent a better average glide performance than any previously measured for an Australian gliding mammal. These data are contrasted with those of other gliding mammals to explore the hypothesis that smaller species may be more capable gliders than larger related species.

Detection and density estimation for a cryptic species

AbstractDetection of animals is influenced by species traits, environment, season and the methods used. Analytical techniques can address imperfect detection, such as false absences, but data limitations hinder accurate density estimation. Identifying field survey methods that optimize detectability is therefore a high research priority, especially for species of conservation concern. We consider a model species, the sugar glider Petaurus notatus, to evaluate how optimizing detections can affect survey outcomes. A literature meta‐analysis found little innovation in baiting approaches for sugar gliders over four decades. Honey‐based baits prevailed, despite emerging evidence of opportunistic carnivory. We compared sugar glider detection probabilities using honey and fish‐based baits in a spatially explicit capture‐recapture study. Fish bait increased detections 33‐fold, and density estimation (0.12 ha−1) was only possible using the fish‐baited data – detections were too sparse using honey‐bait to facilitate analysis. Other factors that influence detectability include trap height and habitat connectivity, which were top moderators in our meta‐analysis, but these may be secondary to the bait or lure used. By using (i) species‐specific bait that accounts for the biology of the target species, and (ii) analytical tools to account for imperfect detection and heterogeneous movement of animals, we achieved good enough detection probabilities to undertake detailed analysis of the spatial ecology of sugar gliders. Compared to honey‐based baits (the prevailing approach of other studies on this species), the high detection probability attained with fish‐based baits provides an improvement on conventional practices. Our study is an important reminder that accounting for the biology of the target species during survey effort may mean the difference between collecting enough data for analysis or not. In the context of species conservation, optimizing detection likelihoods is critical for answering ecological questions about cryptic species, and our results demonstrate the need to reappraise generic approaches when better information is available.

Clinical, imaging and pathological features of hepatic carcinosarcoma in a sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)

AbstractA 5‐year 6‐month‐old, neutered, male sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) presented for lethargy. Plasma biochemistry revealed severely elevated alkaline phosphatase and moderate hypercholesterolemia. A heterogenous liver and a right abdominal mass were noted on abdominal ultrasonography. Computed tomography revealed an enlarged liver with ill‐defined hypoattenuating regions and a heterogenous mass arising from the caudate lobe. Cytology of the liver was consistent with low‐grade mixed lipid and hydropic vacuolar change and mild to moderate mixed to mature lymphocytic infiltrate. Liver biopsies were declined, and the patient was managed with silymarin and prednisolone. Serial bloodwork and abdominal ultrasonography revealed persistently elevated alkaline phosphatase and progressive heterogenous hepatomegaly and hepatic nodules. The sugar glider died over 2 years after original presentation. On postmortem examination, there was a poorly differentiated hepatic neoplasm, with immunohistochemistry most consistent with a carcinosarcoma. In future cases, hepatic biopsies could be considered for sugar gliders presenting with hepatic masses when cytology is unrewarding.

The agency domain and behavioral interactions: assessing positive animal welfare using the Five Domains Model.

Animal welfare denotes how an animal experiences their life. It represents the overall mental experiences of an animal and is a subjective concept that cannot be directly measured. Instead, welfare indicators are used to cautiously infer mental experiences from resource provisions, management factors, and animal-based measures. The Five Domains Model is a holistic and structured framework for collating these indicators and assessing animal welfare. Contemporary approaches to animal welfare management consider how animals can be given opportunities to have positive experiences. However, the uncertainty surrounding positive mental experiences that can be inferred has resulted in risk-averse animal welfare scientists returning to the relative safety of positivism. This has meant that aspects of positive welfare are often referred to as animal 'wants'. Agency is a concept that straddles the positivist-affective divide and represents a way forward for discussions about positive welfare. Agency is the capacity of individual animals to engage in voluntary, self-generated, and goal-directed behavior that they are motivated to perform. Discrete positive emotions are cautiously inferred from these agentic experiences based on available knowledge about the animal's motivation for engaging in the behavior. Competence-building agency can be used to evaluate the potential for positive welfare and is represented by the Behavioral Interactions domain of the Five Domains Model. In 2020, The Model was updated to, amongst other things, include consideration of human-animal interactions. The most important aspect of this update was the renaming of Domain 4 from "Behavior" to "Behavioral Interactions" and the additional detail added to allow this domain's purpose to be clearly understood to represent an animal's opportunities to exercise agency. We illustrate how the Behavioral Interactions domain of The Model can be used to assess animals' competence-building agency and positive welfare. In this article, we use the examples of sugar gliders housed in captivity and greyhounds that race to illustrate how the agentic qualities of choice, control, and challenge can be used to assess opportunities for animals to exercise agency and experience positive affective engagement.

High Prevalence of Hymenolepis (Rodentolepis) nana in Amateur Breeding Facilities of Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) and Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) from Italy.

Hymenolepis (Rodentolepis) nana is an enteric tapeworm globally widespread in wild and captive rodents. The survey was carried out in three chinchilla breeding facilities and in one sugar glider breeding facility in Central and Southern Italy. One hundred and four chinchilla fecal pools and 40 sugar glider fecal pools were collected from cages housing breeding pairs or females with their offspring. Fecal samples were examined with a qualitative and quantitative copromicroscopical approach. Hymenolepis eggs were identified based on morphological and morphometrical features, and the average number of eggs per gram (EPG) of feces was estimated. Hymenolepis nana eggs were detected in 39.42% of chinchilla samples with an average of 16.33 EPG; whereas, all of the sugar glider samples tested positive with an average of 454.18 EPG. Neither helminth eggs nor protozoan cysts/oocysts were detected in any of the breeding facilities. The results clearly show a diffuse parasitism in both chinchillas and sugar gliders, and should be taken into consideration given the rising popularity of these two pet species combined with the zoonotic complications presented by H. nana.

Chronic mandibular osteomyelitis associated with a novel probable Kocuria sp in a sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)

Dental disease in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) is understudied, with only limited clinical and pathological data available. An approximately 7-year-old female sugar glider presented to its primary care veterinarian for a decline in food intake, rapid weight loss and a mass involving the rostral mandible. At necropsy, the mandibular mass effaced most of the rostral mandible and adjacent musculature. Histologically, the mandible was disrupted by nodular infiltrates of variably degenerate neutrophils and macrophages encased in granulomatous inflammation and fibrous connective tissue. Within the neutrophilic cell population were segments of fragmented, necrotic bone and cloud-like colonies of gram-positive cocci. Aerobic culture yielded a heavy, pure growth of a gram-positive coccus morphologically consistent with those identified in the lesions, which was identified as a presumptively novel Kocuria sp by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. This is the first description of Kocuria infection in association with clinically significant pathology in an animal. Although isolated as a pure growth, Kocuria sp cannot be confirmed as the sole cause of lesion formation due to the case chronicity and potential for unculturable, polymicrobial infections. This report adds to our understanding of the clinical and pathological aspects of dental disease in sugar gliders.

Gross Anatomy of the Female Reproductive System of Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps).

We dissected carcasses of eight mature females, both parous and non-parous specimens, to study the macroscopic anatomy of the female reproductive system in the sugar glider. The genital system includes double organs, namely the right and left ones, which are completely separated. It includes two ovaries, two oviducts, two uteri and a vaginal complex. The uteri are fusiform-shaped and lack horns. The vaginal complex includes two lateral vaginae and a median vagina, also called the 'birth canal'. The cranial end of both lateral vaginae partially fuses, forming an expansion named the vaginal sinus, which is divided into two parts by a longitudinal septum, one for each vagina, where the ipsilateral uterine cervix opens. The caudal end of the lateral vaginae opens into a medial and impar duct: the urogenital sinus that serves as a common passage for the reproductive and urinary systems. In non-pregnant females, only the lateral vaginae are present. In pregnant and recently parous females, a short median vagina extends from the caudal wall of the vaginal sinus to the cranial end of the urogenital sinus. In the ventral wall of this sinus, next to its caudal opening, there is a forked clitoris.

Convergent deployment of ancestral functions during the evolution of mammalian flight membranes.

Lateral flight membranes, or patagia, have evolved repeatedly in diverse mammalian lineages. While little is known about patagium development, its recurrent evolution may suggest a shared molecular basis. By combining transcriptomics, developmental experiments, and mouse transgenics, we demonstrate that lateral Wnt5a expression in the marsupial sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) promotes the differentiation of its patagium primordium. We further show that this function of Wnt5a reprises ancestral roles in skin morphogenesis predating mammalian flight and has been convergently used during patagium evolution in eutherian bats. Moreover, we find that many genes involved in limb development have been redeployed during patagium outgrowth in both the sugar glider and bat. Together, our findings reveal that deeply conserved genetic toolkits contribute to the evolutionary transition to flight in mammals.

Evaluating modelled wildlife corridors for the movement of multiple arboreal species in a fragmented landscape

ContextIn highly fragmented landscapes, arboreal mammals are limited by their ability to move and disperse between core habitats. Connectivity modelling for multiple species allows scientists to identify the most efficient movement and/or dispersal pathway(s) to prioritise for conservation efforts.ObjectivesIn this study, we evaluated the most cost-effective corridor pathway for eight species of arboreal mammals, with particular emphasis on an endangered population of greater gliders (Petauroides volans).MethodsWe use species distribution modelling and circuit theory to calculate connectivity in the landscape for each species. An all-species corridor was then modelled using a least cost path analysis. The final corridor was evaluated for all species through ground-truthing accessible segments.ResultsWe identified that some segments of the corridor had low suitability for highly specialised species, and those with tree hollow requirements for denning. The all-species corridor also utilised an artificial crossing structure over a highway, and monitoring of this rope bridge found only two species (sugar gliders; Petaurus breviceps and ringtail possums; Pseudocheirus peregrinus) used the structure on occasion. Thus, the modelled corridor pathway was not suitable for all species, rather it was found to be more suitable for generalist species such as sugar gliders, ringtail possums, brown antechinus; Antechinus stuartii and brushtail possums; Trichosurus vulpecula.ConclusionsOur study exemplifies the importance of ground-truthing in connectivity conservation studies to ensure conservation outcomes are realised. Furthermore, we provide detailed recommendations for relevant conservation managers, to improve the usage of these existing habitat corridors by arboreal species.

Analisis Nilai Sosial dan Nilai Moral dalam Novel “Menikah dengan Calon Mertua” di Aplikasi Noveltoon

The purpose of this study is to describe the sosial values and moral values contained in the novel Marrying The Future In-Laws by Sugar Glider. The research method used in studying sugar Glider's novel MarryIng The Future In-Laws is a descriptive qualitative method. The object of this study is sosial values and moral values in the novel MarryIng The Future In-Laws by Sugar Glider which is presented through the Noveltoon application. The data collection technique in this study used a literature study technique. The stages carried out in this study include the stages of data acquisition, data collection and determination of units of analysis. Next is the stage of data selection, as well as a test of the validity of the data. The last stage is the process of analyzing and presenting data. The results of the research and discussion found that the story in sugar Glider's novel Marrying The Future Father-in-Law has things related to sosial and moral values. The sosial and moral values contained in each episode consist of man's relationship with God, man's relationship with himself, man's relationship with sesame and man's relationship with his environment. The sosial and moral values that emerge are more towards values that are considered good and values that are considered bad by society through the stories of their characters in each episode while directing the reader to be able to identify the good and bad values sosially and morally. Sosial values and moral values in the novel Marrying The Future In-Laws can be used as an alternative learning material for prose studies in the scriptwriting course of students of the Multi Media High School Game Technology Study Program.

Thermal Profiles of Chainsaw Hollows and Natural Hollows during Extreme Heat Events.

Loss of hollow-bearing trees threatens many hollow-dependent wildlife. To mitigate this process, artificial chainsaw-carved hollows (CHs) are often created in dead trees, yet little is known about their thermal profiles. We measured temperatures inside 13 natural hollows (8 live and 5 dead trees) and 45 CHs (5 live and 40 dead trees) in the central west of NSW, Australia, over the course of 2 summers. Maximum temperatures and daily temperature ranges within natural hollows and artificial hollows were similar in 2017-2018. Hollow temperatures were lower in thicker-walled hollows than in thinner-walled hollows. During the January 2019 heatwave, temperatures inside CHs in dead trees exceeded 4-35 °C higher than the upper limit of the thermal neutral zone of sugar gliders-for 6.2 consecutive days (range 0-9 days). CHs in dead trees provided little buffering from thermal extremes; when air temperatures peaked at 44.6 °C, CHs in dead trees were on average 2.4 °C cooler than ambient (range: 5.5 °C cooler to 1.0 °C hotter than ambient). These results show that CHs created in dead trees may not provide suitable thermal conditions for hollow-dependent marsupials during summer heatwaves. Retention of large live trees, coupled with revegetation, is crucial for conserving hollow-dependent fauna in agricultural landscapes.

Informing Wildlife Corridor Creation through Population Genetics of an Arboreal Marsupial in a Fragmented Landscape.

Habitat loss and fragmentation contribute significantly to the decline of arboreal mammal populations. As populations become fragmented and isolated, a reduction in gene flow can result in a loss of genetic diversity and have an overall impact upon long-term persistence. Creating wildlife corridors can mitigate such effects by increasing the movement and dispersal of animals, thus acting to reduce population isolation. To evaluate the success of a corridor, a before-after experimental research framework can be used. Here, we report the genetic diversity and structure of sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) sampling locations within a fragmented landscape prior to the implementation of a wildlife corridor. This study used 5999 genome-wide SNPs from 94 sugar gliders caught from 8 locations in a fragmented landscape in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Overall genetic structure was limited, and gene flow was detected across the landscape. Our findings indicate that the study area contains one large population. A major highway dissecting the landscape did not act as a significant barrier to dispersal, though this may be because of its relatively new presence in the landscape (completed in 2018). Future studies may yet indicate its long-term impact as a barrier to gene flow. Future work should aim to repeat the methods of this study to examine the medium-to-long-term impacts of the wildlife corridor on sugar gliders, as well as examine the genetic structure of other native, specialist species in the landscape.

Metamorphic aerial robot capable of mid-air shape morphing for rapid perching

Aerial robots can perch onto structures at heights to reduce energy use or to remain firmly in place when interacting with their surroundings. Like how birds have wings to fly and legs to perch, these bio-inspired aerial robots use independent perching modules. However, modular design not only increases the weight of the robot but also its size, reducing the areas that the robot can access. To mitigate these problems, we take inspiration from gliding and tree-dwelling mammals such as sugar gliders and sloths. We noted how gliding mammals morph their whole limb to transit between flight and perch, and how sloths optimized their physiology to encourage energy-efficient perching. These insights are applied to design a quadrotor robot that transitions between morphologies to fly and perch with a single-direction tendon drive. The robot’s bi-stable arm is rigid in flight but will conform to its target in 0.97 s when perching, holding its grasp with minimal energy use. We achieved a 30% overall mass reduction by integrating this capability into a single body. The robot perches by a controlled descent or a free-falling drop to avoid turbulent aerodynamic effects. Our proposed design solution can fulfill the need for small perching robots in cluttered environments.

Oncology of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps): A comprehensive review

Oncology of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps): A comprehensive review

What’s in a name? Selection of common names among new and revised species of Australian mammals, and the case of the sugar glider†

The common names of species serve an important role in scientific and everyday communication, so well-constructed names should be easy to remember and convey important information about a species. The discovery of new species, or the revision and splitting of existing species, may lead to new or changed common names. We review new common names given to Australian mammal species described, or recognised, since the year 2000. We reference the principles adopted by the Australian Mammal Society in 1980, formulated to guide the selection of common names. Of 31 new species, 25 had common names that referenced their morphology, geographic location or ecosystem, one had an indigenous name and five involved eponyms (named after a person). Three of the eponyms reflected the animal’s specific name, one was given after consultation with indigenous cultural experts, and one was named after the collector of the specimen. We argue that the recommended common name for this latter species (Petaurus notatus) was inconsistent with the long-standing principles of the Australian Mammal Society for selecting common names, so we offer an alternative name, the inland sugar glider. Common names may be subservient to scientific names but they play an important role, and therefore, should be selected very carefully and be consistent with established principles.

Establishment of Hematological and Plasma Biochemical Reference Values and Analysis of Risk Factors for Pet Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) in Taiwan.

Hematological and plasma biochemical examination are crucial in the veterinary care of sugar gliders, which are increasingly popular in Taiwan and the United States. However, published research of the species' reference interval and related influencing factors were rare. The objectives of this study were to establish the hematological and plasma biochemical reference values for captive sugar gliders in Taiwan and to evaluate the influence of factors including age, gender, neuter status, location, season, diet, caging arrangement, and other pets in the household. A total of 42 clinically healthy pet sugar gliders were recruited. Morphometrical measurements and physiological data were collected, and hematological and plasma biochemical examinations were performed. The reference value of each index was calculated using Reference Value Advisor (RVA) software, following the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP) guidelines. Normality of data distribution was tested, and data transformation was conducted. The parametric method and robust method were used to determine reference limits. Univariate analysis was performed, and multiple regression models were built for each hematological and plasma biochemical parameter. Red blood cell, hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels were higher in males, compared to females, while they were lower in the neutered group, compared to the intact group. Relative neutrophil counts were higher in elder sugar gliders, while relative lymphocyte counts were lower. Aspartate transaminase levels were higher in elder sugar gliders, while albumin levels were lower. Blood urea nitrogen levels were highest in spring. The blood profile and related effects presented in this study can provide useful information for veterinary care in pet sugar gliders.