Sexual Behavior of the Gray Short-Tailed Opossum (Monodelphis domestica)

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Abstract
Sexual behavior was studied in captive specimens of the gray short-tailed opossum (M. domestica), a small, Brazilian, didelphid marsupial. A switch-male procedure in which males are alternated in breeding pairs was devised to encouraging mating. Nonreceptive females are strongly aggressive toward males. Male courtship behavior includes strategies aimed at reducing this aggressive response. In copulation, the male clasps the female''s ankles with his hind feet and the pair usually lies upon the right side. Copulation involves intravaginal thrusting, locking and apparently a single intromission and ejaculation. These behavior patterns are compared with those of other commonly studied didelphids. Since M. domestica will breed in the laboratory, it may prove to be a practical marsupial model for studies of early mammalian development.

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