dasyurid

dunnart (<em>Sminthopsis</em>)Dunnart (Sminthopsis), a marsupial mouse. The species can be found in Australia and New Guinea, in grassland and dryland habitats.

dasyurid, any member of a family (Dasyuridae) of marsupial mammals that includes the quolls (formerly called “native cats”), antechinus and dunnarts (formerly known as “marsupial mice and rats”), Tasmanian Devil, and their allies. All of the approximately 60 species occur in New Guinea, the Aru Islands, and Australia, including Tasmania.

For specific dasyurids and their relatives, see quoll; Tasmanian devil; kowari; marsupial “mouse”; numbat and thylacine.

Citation Information
Article Title: dasyurid
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 25 May 2020
Access Date: March 14, 2025