a b s t r a c tWe investigated seed dispersal by two sympatric mustelid species, the Japanese marten (Martes melampus) and Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi), along an intercity forest path in western Tokyo, central Japan, from Jul 2007 to Jul 2008. We aimed to investigate the effect of food/habitat preference of these mustelids (martens are semi-arboreal frugivores while weasels are terrestrial carnivores) on their seed dispersal characteristics, which determine their efficacy as seed dispersers. In total, we analyzed 478 fecal samples collected from the two mustelids (N marten = 381, N weasel = 97). The proportions of feces containing seeds for martens and weasels were 81.4% and 55.7%, respectively. The number of plant species whose seeds were found within the feces were 28 and 17, respectively. Almost all seeds within feces of both mustelids were intact. The number of plant species whose seeds were found within a single fecal sample ranged from one to four, but no significant difference was detected between the two mustelids. However, marten feces contained a significantly greater number of seeds of most plant species as well as total number of seeds than did weasel feces. The numbers of plant species and seeds represented in marten feces varied seasonally, but those represented in weasel feces did not. Our findings suggest the possibility that both mustelids act in some ways as seed dispersers, although martens seem to disperse a greater diversity and total amount of seeds.

No abstract

Tsuji Y, Prayitno B, Tatewaki T, Widayati KA, Suryobroto B. 2019. Short Communication: A report on ranging behavior of Malayan flying lemurs, Galeopterus variegatus, in West Indonesia: Relationships with habitat characteristics. Biodiversitas 20: 430-435. We attached GPS telemeters to wild Malayan flying lemurs, or colugos (Galeopterus variegatus) (n = 3, one adult male, one adult female, one juvenile male) in Pangandaran Nature Reserve, West Java, Indonesia in August 2018, to preliminary evaluate their home range size and characteristics, paying special attention to relationships with forest structure. Home range sizes, generated from location points collected from 4 to 11 days, ranging from 1.2 to 5.4 ha (based on minimum convex polygon method) or from 1.3 to 4.2 ha (95% Kernel), which is much larger than home ranges of colugos inhabiting palm plantations. The home range sizes of adult colugos were larger than that of juvenile. The home ranges of an adult female and a juvenile overlapped. The generalized linear model demonstrated that the locations where the colugos stayed frequently possessed a small number of trees and/or had a single taller tree, and these effects were stronger than other factors. The home range preferences of colugos seem to be related to gliding effectiveness and/or predator avoidance. The mean gliding distances were 33 m, but sometimes reached > 250 m, and there were no significant differences among animals. Night time gliding frequency showed no clear difference between time periods. We confirmed the effectiveness of GPS telemetry for tracking colugo movements.