Coalitions in male sugar gliders: are they natural?

• Published in: Journal of zoology (1987) 1999-05, Vol.248 (1), p.91-96
• Main Authors: Sadler, L M, Ward, S J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Petaurus breviceps
• ISSN: 0952-8369
• DOI: 10.1017/S0952836999005105

The sugar glider Petaurus breviceps is generally considered to be a polygynous, group-nesting species. However, recent captive studies have indicated that dominance hierarchies and shared codominance amongst males formed when males were housed in multiple-male, multiple-female cages with male-biased sex ratios. This study uses data from sugar glider groups in natural populations to assess the probability of male dominance hierarchies and the opportunity for codominant father-son coalitions. Nesting groups of sugar gliders were found to have female-biased sex ratios ranging from 1:1.5 to 1:2.7 males:females. The dispersing sex was male - there were four records of recruitment into the natal group, all of which were female. Only one example was found of a long-term adult male association between a father and putative son, which did not occur in the natal group of the son. The evidence suggests that though father-son associations may occur, the opportunities for male dominance hierarchies or male coalitions are rare in sugar glider nesting groups in the natural environment.