Southernmost records of Dromiciops gliroides: extending its distribution beyond the Valdivian rainforest

Abstract

The geographic range of a species is often limited by sampling approaches, underestimating the actual distribution. This is likely the case of Dromiciops gliroides (Microbiotheria), an endemic marsupial from southern South America. We used camera-traps to record D. gliroides for the first time in Chaitén and Futaleufú (southern Chile), expanding its known distribution 100 km to the south. Climate and forest composition in this area differs from the typical Valdivian rainforest. Activity assessments show a narrow activity patterns compared to northern populations.

Keywords

• activity patterns
• camera traps
• geography
• Microbiotheria
• Temperate Rainforest