Sleeping sites of woolly mouse opossum Micoureus demerarae (Thomas) (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil

Micoureus demerarae (Thomas, 1905) is a medium-sized marsupial, around 130 g, with a nocturnal habit and insectivorous-omnivorous diet. From August 2001 to July 2002, seven individuals, three males and four females, were monitored with radio-telemetry in Reserva Biológica União, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aiming to investigate and describe the sleeping sites used by this marsupial. Fifty eight sleeping sites were located, most of which (70,7%) in palm trees Astrocaryum aculeatissimum (Schott) Burret, and the remaining in other tree species (29,3%), a significant difference (chi2 test; p < 0.005). The preference for this palm tree was not different between sexes (chi2 test; p = 0.920). It was possible to locate the exact place where the animal was hiding in 31 sleeping sites (53.4% of total) in palm trees the animals were always in the junction point of petioles and tree trunks, at an average height of 4.66 ± 1.36 m, while in the remaining tree species, seven individuals were in liana tangles and two in tree holes, at an average height of 10.67 ± 2.75 m. This height difference was significant (Mann Whitney test; p < 0.001). Results indicate that palm trees are important resources for M. demerarae. The observed preference for A. aculeatissimum is probably due to higher protection against predators made by the numerous spines of this palm tree species