COURSE CONTENT AND STRUCTURE
This course has nine lessons:
1. Introduction
- Introduction and History
- Evolution
- Taxonomy
- Marsupial Orders - American and Australian
- Families within orders
- Comparing diversity
2.. Internal anatomy, physiology, and senses
- Introduction
- Social behaviours
- Territoriality and home range
- Thermoregulation, torpor and hibernation
- Mating systems
- Caring for young
- Vocalisation and threat behaviour
- Feeding and diet
- Den sites and nests
- Habitat
- Predation and predators
3. Behaviour
- Introduction
- Social behaviours
- Territoriality and home range
- Thermoregulation, torpor and hibernation
- Mating systems
- Caring for young
- Vocalisation and threat behaviour
- Feeding and diet
- Den sites and nests
- Habitat
- Predation and predators
4. Marsupial Health
- Pathogens and Parasites
- Viruses - hepatovirus, herpes, other significant viruses
- Cancer - facial tumor disease, other cancers
- Parasites and other pathogens -chlamydia, sarcoptic mange, coccidiosis, leptospirosis, tuberculosis
- Nematodes
- White muscle disease
- Lumpy jaw
- Marsupials as disease vectors
- Malnutrition and starvation
- Pollution
- Shock, injury, bit wounds, burns, electrocution, ocular injury, skeletal trauma
- Marsupial health care - stress, diet, housing
5. Marsupial Carnivores
- Dsyuridae - Quolls, Devils and relatives
- Dasyuridae characteristics
- Tasmanian devil
- Quolls - review 6 species
- Dunnarts
- Antechinuses - review 10 species
- Numbats, Myrmecobiidae
- Thylacine
6. Macropods
- Introduction
- Taxonomy
- Kangaroos, Wallabies, Wallaroos- Macropus
- Tree Kangaroos - Dendrolagus
- Rock Wallabies - Petrogale
- Quokka - Setonix
7. Diprotodontia Marsupials
- Introduction to wombats, koalas, possums and relatives
- Koala -characteristics, diet, reproduction
- Wombats characteristics taxonomy, review on 2 living species
- Ringtail Possums
- Brush tailed Possums
- Gliders and striped Possums
- Pygmy Possums
- Feather tailed possums
- Potoroos and relatives
- Honey Possum
8. Peramelemophs
- Peramelidae - bandicoots and echymiperas
- Peramelinae – Australian Bandicoots.
- Peroryctinae – Giant & Raffrays Bandicoots.
- Echymiperinae – Echimiperas and Papuan Bandicoots
- Chaeropodidae - the pig-footed bandicoot (presumed extinct)
- Thylacomyidae - bilbies
9. Other Marsupials
- Notoryctemorphia - Marsupial moles
- Didelpimorphia - American Opossums
- Microbiotheria - Monito del monte
- Paucituberculata - Shrew and Rat Opossums
- Sustainable Management of Marsupials
10. Introduction
- Sustainable management
- Threats and Amelioration
- Political influence
- Climate change
- Habitat protection and modification
- Control of exotic species
- Disease Management
- Monitoring
- Fire management
- Artificial habitats - conservation breeding, geographical isolation, genetic impoverishment
COURSE AIMS
• Explain the likely origin of marsupials.
• Explain classification of marsupials.
• Identify common external anatomical features in marsupials.
• Explain common and diverging characteristics in the internal biology of marsupials.
• Discuss and compare behavioural characteristics in a number of different marsupials.
• Describe health issues that affect marsupials.
• Identify and describe the biology, behaviour and care of marsupial carnivores.
• Identify and describe the biology, behaviour, and care of Macropods from the Diprotodontia order.
• Identify and describe the biology, behaviour and care of non-Macropod marsupials in Diprodontia.
• Identify and describe the biology, behaviour and care of marsupials in order Peramelemorphia.
• Discuss issues related to the sustainable management of marsupials.
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