Nectarivory and Potential Pollination by a Neotropical Marsupial

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Abstract
The neotropical marsupial, Caluromys derbianus, the red woolly opossum, is a regular visitor and potential pollinator of Mabea occidentalis (Euphorbiaceae), an understory rain-forest tree on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Caluromys also visits and may pollinate nocturnal nectar-producing flowers of other plants. Nectar is an important food source for the red woolly opossum during seasonal lows in fruit abundance. Pollination by nonflying mammals may commonly occur in tropical forests in light of recent information on tropical tree distribution.