Dasyuridae
Encyclopedia
Dasyuridae is a family of marsupial
s native to Australia
and New Guinea
, including 61 species divided into 15 genera. Many are small and mouse-like, giving them the misnomer marsupial mice, but the group also includes the cat-sized quoll
s, as well as the Tasmanian Devil
. They are found in a wide range of habitats, including grassland, forests, and mountains, and some species are arboreal or semi-aquatic.
, but a few species are much larger. The smallest species is the Pilbara Ningaui
, which is from 4.6 to 5.7 cm in length, and weighs just 2–9 grams, while the largest, the Tasmanian Devil, is 57–65 cm long, and weighs from 6–8 kilograms. The smaller dasyurids typically resemble shrew
s or mice in appearance, with long tails and narrow, pointed noses. The larger species bear a resemblance to such placental carnivores as mongoose
s or mustelids
.
Many features of dasyurids are considered primitive, that is, that they resemble the features of the earliest marsupials, from which other species, such as kangaroo
s and bandicoot
s, later diverged. For example, all of the toes in dasyurids are separate, whereas in many other marsupials, the second and third toes are fused together. Similarly, many species lack a full marsupial pouch
, instead having a simple fold of skin surrounding the teats, and providing some protection to the developing young. The dentition of dasyurids is also considered primitive, and differs from that of other marsupials, with a dental formula of: .
Dasyurids are primarily insectivorous
, but they will also eat small lizards, fruit, and flowers. One of the few exceptions to this rule is the Tasmanian Devil, which subsists mainly on vertebrate carrion
. They have a relatively simple digestive tract, as is typical of insectivores and carnivores.
Gestation
lasts from 12–16 days, and results in the birth of from two to twelve young, depending on species. Smaller species typically breed at least twice a year, while the larger forms tend to breed just once. The length of lactation
reflects this, with young dunnart
s, for example, being weaned
after 60–70 days, but young quolls only after 8–9 months. Most dasyurid species are sexually mature at one year of age, but, again, the quolls and Tasmanian Devil, being larger, take longer to mature and do not reach full adulthood for about two years.
Adult dasyurids are typically solitary, or travel in small groups of two to three individuals.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, including 61 species divided into 15 genera. Many are small and mouse-like, giving them the misnomer marsupial mice, but the group also includes the cat-sized quoll
Quoll
The quoll, or native cat, is a carnivorous marsupial native to mainland Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. It is primarily nocturnal and spends most of the day in its den. There are six species of quoll; four are found in Australia and two in New Guinea...
s, as well as the Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936...
. They are found in a wide range of habitats, including grassland, forests, and mountains, and some species are arboreal or semi-aquatic.
Characteristics
Most dasyurids are roughly the size of miceMouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, but a few species are much larger. The smallest species is the Pilbara Ningaui
Pilbara Ningaui
The Pilbara Ningaui , sometimes known as Ealey's Ningaui, is a tiny species of marsupial carnivore found in Australia. It rarely exceeds 5.8cm in body length, with a tail 6-7.6cm long and a weight of 5-9.4g...
, which is from 4.6 to 5.7 cm in length, and weighs just 2–9 grams, while the largest, the Tasmanian Devil, is 57–65 cm long, and weighs from 6–8 kilograms. The smaller dasyurids typically resemble shrew
Shrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...
s or mice in appearance, with long tails and narrow, pointed noses. The larger species bear a resemblance to such placental carnivores as mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
s or mustelids
Mustelidae
Mustelidae , commonly referred to as the weasel family, are a family of carnivorous mammals. Mustelids are diverse and the largest family in the order Carnivora, at least partly because in the past it has been a catch-all category for many early or poorly differentiated taxa...
.
Many features of dasyurids are considered primitive, that is, that they resemble the features of the earliest marsupials, from which other species, such as kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s and bandicoot
Bandicoot
Bandicoots are a group of about 20 species of small to medium-sized, terrestrial marsupial omnivores in the order Peramelemorphia.- Etymology :...
s, later diverged. For example, all of the toes in dasyurids are separate, whereas in many other marsupials, the second and third toes are fused together. Similarly, many species lack a full marsupial pouch
Pouch (marsupial)
The pouch is a distinguishing feature of female marsupials ; the name marsupial is derived from the Latin marsupium, meaning "pouch". Marsupials give birth to a live but relatively undeveloped fetus called a joey. When the joey is born it crawls from inside the mother to the pouch...
, instead having a simple fold of skin surrounding the teats, and providing some protection to the developing young. The dentition of dasyurids is also considered primitive, and differs from that of other marsupials, with a dental formula of: .
Dasyurids are primarily insectivorous
Insectivore
An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....
, but they will also eat small lizards, fruit, and flowers. One of the few exceptions to this rule is the Tasmanian Devil, which subsists mainly on vertebrate carrion
Carrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
. They have a relatively simple digestive tract, as is typical of insectivores and carnivores.
Gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
lasts from 12–16 days, and results in the birth of from two to twelve young, depending on species. Smaller species typically breed at least twice a year, while the larger forms tend to breed just once. The length of lactation
Lactation
Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process occurs in all female mammals, however it predates mammals. In humans the process of feeding milk is called breastfeeding or nursing...
reflects this, with young dunnart
Dunnart
Dunnarts are furry narrow-footed marsupials the size of a mouse, members of the genus Sminthopsis. They are mainly insectivorous. A male dunnart's Y chromosome has only 4 genes, making it the smallest known mammalian Y chromosome....
s, for example, being weaned
Weaning
Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a mammal infant, either human or animal, to what will be its adult diet and withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk.The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk...
after 60–70 days, but young quolls only after 8–9 months. Most dasyurid species are sexually mature at one year of age, but, again, the quolls and Tasmanian Devil, being larger, take longer to mature and do not reach full adulthood for about two years.
Adult dasyurids are typically solitary, or travel in small groups of two to three individuals.
Classification
- Family Dasyuridae
- Genus Ganbulanyi (fossil)
- Genus GlaucodonGlaucodonGlaucodon is an extinct genus of marsupial from Australia.- Sources :*Gerdtz, W. and Archbold, N. Glaucodon ballaratensis , a Late Pliocene 'Devil' from Batesford, Victoria, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, Vol 115, No 2, pp. 35–44, Royal Society of Victoria, Australia.*Wildlife...
(fossil) - Subfamily BarinyaBarinyaBarinya is a fossil genus from the marsupial family Dasyuridae, which contains the oldest known undoubted dasyurid.The principal difference between Barinya and more recent dasyurids are in the dentition and skull morphology; with Barinya displaying more primitive features. There is one described...
inae (fossil)- Genus BarinyaBarinyaBarinya is a fossil genus from the marsupial family Dasyuridae, which contains the oldest known undoubted dasyurid.The principal difference between Barinya and more recent dasyurids are in the dentition and skull morphology; with Barinya displaying more primitive features. There is one described...
(fossil)
- Genus Barinya
- Subfamily DasyurinaeDasyurinaeThe subfamily Dasyurinae includes several genera of small carnivorous marsupials native to Australia: quolls, Kowari, Mulgara, Kaluta, dibblers, phascogales pseudantechinuses, and the Tasmanian Devil...
- Tribe DasyuriniDasyurini- Classification :* Tribe Dasyurini** Genus Dasycercus*** Brush-tailed Mulgara, Dasycercus blythi*** Crest-tailed Mulgara, Dasycercus cristicauda** Genus Dasykaluta*** Little Red Kaluta, Dasykaluta rosamondae** Genus Dasyuroides...
- Genus Dasycercus
- Brush-tailed MulgaraBrush-tailed MulgaraThe Brush-tailed Mulgara is a large carnivorous Australian marsupial species. Its body mass is over 100grams, with males being slightly larger than females. Their head length is 15 cm, and tail length is 9 cm....
, Dasycercus blythi - Crest-tailed MulgaraCrest-tailed MulgaraThe Crest-tailed Mulgara also called the Ampurta is a species of carnivorous marsupial from Australia. Also called the Crest-tailed Marsupial Mouse, this animal slightly resembles a placental rat....
, Dasycercus cristicauda
- Brush-tailed Mulgara
- Genus Dasykaluta
- Little Red KalutaLittle Red KalutaThe Little Red Kaluta , also known as the Little Red Antechinus, Russet Antechinus, Spinifex Antechinus or simply Kaluta, is a carnivorous nocturnal marsupial. It lives in the dry areas of Western Australia. Individuals are 9-11 cm long and weigh 20-40 grams...
, Dasykaluta rosamondae
- Little Red Kaluta
- Genus Dasyuroides
- KowariKowariThe Kowari , also known as the Brush-tailed Marsupial Rat, Kayer Rat, Byrne's Crest-tailed Marsupial Rat, Bushy-tailed Marsupial Rat and Kawiri, is a small carnivorous marsupial native to the dry grasslands and deserts of central Australia...
, Dasyuroides byrnei
- Kowari
- Genus Dasyurus: quollQuollThe quoll, or native cat, is a carnivorous marsupial native to mainland Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. It is primarily nocturnal and spends most of the day in its den. There are six species of quoll; four are found in Australia and two in New Guinea...
s- New Guinean QuollNew Guinean QuollThe New Guinean Quoll , also known as the New Guinea Quoll or New Guinea Native Cat, is a carnivorous marsupial mammal native to New Guinea...
, Dasyurus albopunctatus - Western QuollWestern QuollThe western quoll , also known as the chuditch or western native cat, is a medium sized predator and like its eastern and northern relatives, has a white-spotted brown coat and a long tail. It is most closely related to the eastern quoll from which it differs in possessing a first toe on the...
, Dasyurus geoffroii - Northern QuollNorthern QuollThe Northern Quoll , also known as the Northern Native Cat, the Satanellus, the North Australian Native Cat or the Njanmak , is a carnivorous marsupial mammal, native to Australia.- Taxonomy :The Northern Quoll is a member of the family Dasyuridae, and is often stated to be the most distinctive...
, Dasyurus hallucatus - Tiger QuollTiger QuollThe tiger quoll , also known as the spotted-tail quoll, the spotted quoll, the spotted-tailed dasyure or the tiger cat, is a carnivorous marsupial of the quoll genus Dasyurus native to Australia...
, Dasyurus maculatus - Bronze QuollBronze QuollThe Bronze Quoll is a species of quoll found only in the Trans Fly savanna and grasslands of New Guinea. It was discovered in the early 1970s when five specimens were collected, but only described in 1987 when Dr...
, Dasyurus spartacus - Eastern QuollEastern QuollThe Eastern Quoll , also known as the Eastern Native Cat, is a medium-sized carnivorous dasyurid marsupial native to Australia. They are now considered extinct on the mainland, but remain widespread and even locally common in Tasmania...
, Dasyurus viverrinus
- New Guinean Quoll
- Genus MyoictisMyoictisMyoictis is a genus of marsupials in the order Dasyuromorphia. It is found in New Guinea.There are four species:* Woolley’s Three-striped Dasyure, Myoictis leucura* Three-striped Dasyure, Myoictis melas...
- Myoictis leucura
- Three-striped DasyureThree-striped DasyureThe Three-striped Dasyure is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order. This marsupial carnivore lives in West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.- References :...
, Myoictis melas - Wallace's DasyureWallace's DasyureWallace's Dasyure is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order. This marsupial carnivore is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Specifically, is found on the Aru Islands of the Maluku Province of Indonesia....
, Myoictis wallacii - Myoictis wavicus
- Genus Neophascogale
- Speckled DasyureSpeckled DasyureThe Speckled Dasyure , also known as the Long-clawed Marsupial Mouse, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order. It is an inhabitant of Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is the only member of the genus Neophascogale.Its weight varies between 200 and 250 g; its body length ranges 16–23 cm, and...
, Neophascogale lorentzi
- Speckled Dasyure
- Genus Parantechinus
- DibblerDibblerDibbler is the common name for Parantechinus apicalis, an endangered species of marsupial. It is an inhabitant of the southwest mainland of Western Australia and some offshore islands. It is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order, and the only member of the genus, Parantechinus...
, Parantechinus apicalis
- Dibbler
- Genus Phascolosorex
- Phascolosorex brevicaudata
- Red-bellied Marsupial ShrewRed-bellied Marsupial ShrewThe Red-bellied Dasyure or Red-bellied Marsupial Shrew is a species of marsupial in the Dasyuridae family. It is endemic to West Papua, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
, Phascolosorex doriae - Narrow-striped Marsupial ShrewNarrow-striped Marsupial ShrewThe Narrow-striped Dasyure or Narrow-striped Marsupial Shrew is a species of marsupial in the Dasyuridae family. It is found in West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
, Phascolosorex dorsalis
- Genus Pseudantechinus
- Sandstone DibblerSandstone DibblerThe Sandstone False Antechinus, Pseudantechinus bilarni, also known as the Sandstone Pseudantechinus, the Sandstone Antechinus, the Sandstone Dibbler, Harney's Antechinus and the Northern Dibbler, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial, which has a patchy distribution in Australia's Northern...
, Pseudantechinus bilarni - Fat-tailed False AntechinusFat-tailed False AntechinusThe Fat-tailed False Antechinus , also called the Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus and Red-eared Antechinus, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order...
, Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis - Alexandria False AntechinusAlexandria False AntechinusThe Alexandria False Antechinus , also known as the Carpentarian False Antechinus or Carpentarian Pseudantechinus, is a small carnivorous marsupial, found only in a number of small, isolated localities in northern Australia...
, Pseudantechinus mimulus - Ningbing False AntechinusNingbing False AntechinusThe Ningbing False Antechinus , also known as the Ningbing Pseudantechinus, is a small species of carnivorous marsupial found in north-western Australia...
, Pseudantechinus ningbing - Rory Cooper's False AntechinusRory Cooper's False AntechinusRory Cooper's False Antechinus , also known as the Tan False Antechinus and the Tan Pseudantechinus, is a recently named species of small carnivorous marsupial which inhabits rocky outcrops in Western Australia...
, Pseudantechinus roryi - Woolley's False AntechinusWoolley's False AntechinusWoolley's False Antechinus , also known as Woolley's Pseudantechinus, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial belonging to the family Dasyuridae...
, Pseudantechinus woolleyae
- Sandstone Dibbler
- Genus SarcophilusSarcophilusSarcophilus is a genus of carnivorous marsupial best known for its only living member, the Tasmanian Devil.There are three species of Sarcophilus. S. laniarius and S. moornaensis are only known from fossils from the Pleistocene. S. laniarius was larger than the contemporary, and only surviving,...
- Tasmanian DevilTasmanian DevilThe Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936...
, Sarcophilus harrisii
- Tasmanian Devil
- Genus Dasycercus
- Tribe PhascogaliniPhascogalini- Classification :* Tribe Phascogalini** Genus Antechinus*** Tropical Antechinus, Antechinus adustus*** Agile Antechinus, Antechinus agilis*** Fawn Antechinus, Antechinus bellus*** Yellow-footed Antechinus, Antechinus flaviceps...
- Genus AntechinusAntechinusAntechinus is a genus of dasyurid marsupial that is indigenous to Australia and New Guinea. The majority of Antechinus species occur in Australia and only two species have been described in New Guinea...
- Tropical AntechinusTropical AntechinusThe Tropical Antechinus , also known as the Rusty Antechinus, is a species of small marsupial carnivore, particularly closely related to the Brown Antechinus ....
, Antechinus adustus - Agile AntechinusAgile AntechinusThe Agile Antechinus is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is found in Australia.-Taxonomy:...
, Antechinus agilis - Fawn AntechinusFawn AntechinusThe Fawn Antechinus is a species of small carnivorous marsupial found in northern Australia. It is the only antechinus to be found in the Northern Territory and has a patchy, restricted range.-Taxonomy:...
, Antechinus bellus - Yellow-footed AntechinusYellow-footed Antechinusthumb|250pxThe Yellow-footed Antechinus , also known as the Mardo, is a shrew-like marsupial found in Australia. One notable feature of the species is its sexual behavior...
, Antechinus flavipes - Atherton AntechinusAtherton AntechinusThe Atherton Antechinus , also known as Godman's Antechinus, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is one of the rarest members of its genus, and differs from other antechinuses in its more rufous body colour and small eyes.-Taxonomy:The Atherton Antechinus was first...
, Antechinus godmani - Cinnamon AntechinusCinnamon AntechinusThe Cinnamon Antechinus , also known as the Iron Ranges Antechinus and the Cape York Antechinus, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is the only mammal endemic to Cape York Peninsula, being confined to semi-deciduous forest around the McIlraith and Iron Ranges...
, Antechinus leo - Swamp AntechinusSwamp AntechinusThe Swamp Antechinus , also known as the Little Tasmanian Marsupial Mouse, is a species of shrew-like marsupial of the Dasyuridae family and as such is related to dunnarts, quolls and the Tasmanian Devil.-Taxonomy:...
, Antechinus minimus - Brown AntechinusBrown AntechinusThe Brown Antechinus , also known as Stuart's Antechinus and Macleay's Marsupial Mouse, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae.-Taxonomy:...
, Antechinus stuartii - Subtropical AntechinusSubtropical AntechinusThe Subtropical Antechinus is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It was previously thought to be conspecific with the Brown Antechinus ....
, Antechinus subtropicus - Dusky AntechinusDusky AntechinusThe Dusky Antechinus , also known as Swainson's Antechinus or the Dusky Marsupial Mouse, is a species of small marsupial carnivore, a member of the family Dasyuridae. It is found in Australia.-Taxonomy:...
, Antechinus swainsonii
- Tropical Antechinus
- Genus Micromurexia
- Habbema DasyureHabbema DasyureThe Habbema Dasyure is a species of marsupial in the Dasyuridae family. It is found in West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is rocky areas....
, Micromurexia habbema - Micromurexia hageni
- Habbema Dasyure
- Genus Murexechinus
- Black-tailed DasyureBlack-tailed DasyureThe Black-tailed Dasyure is a species of marsupial in the Dasyuridae family. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
, Murexechinus melanurus
- Black-tailed Dasyure
- Genus Murexia
- Short-furred DasyureShort-furred DasyureThe Short-furred Dasyure , also known as the Short-haired Marsupial Mouse, is a member of the order Dasyuromorphia. It is the only species in the Murexia genus. It lives in Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea....
, Murexia longicaudata
- Short-furred Dasyure
- Genus Paramurexia
- Broad-striped DasyureBroad-striped DasyureThe Broad-striped Dasyure is a species of marsupial in the Dasyuridae family. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
, Paramurexia rothschildi
- Broad-striped Dasyure
- Genus Phascomurexia
- Long-nosed DasyureLong-nosed DasyureThe Long-nosed Dasyure is a species of marsupial in the Dasyuridae family. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
, Phascomurexia naso
- Long-nosed Dasyure
- Genus PhascogalePhascogaleThe Phascogales , also known as Wambengers, are carnivorous Australian marsupials of the family Dasyuridae. There are two species: the Brush-tailed Phascogale and the Red-tailed Phascogale...
- Red-tailed PhascogaleRed-tailed PhascogaleThe Red-tailed Phascogale , also known as the Red-tailed Wambenger, is a small carnivorous marsupial found in central and western Australia...
, Phascogale calura - Phascogale pirata
- Brush-tailed PhascogaleBrush-tailed PhascogaleThe Brush-tailed Phascogale , also known as the Tuan, the Common Wambenger or the Black-tailed Phascogale, is a rat-sized arboreal carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, characterized by a tuft of black silky hairs on the terminal portion of its tail...
, Phascogale tapoatafa
- Red-tailed Phascogale
- Genus Antechinus
- Tribe Dasyurini
- Subfamily SminthopsinaeSminthopsinae- Classification :* Subfamily Sminthopsinae** Tribe Sminthopsini*** Genus Antechinomys**** Kultarr, Antechinomys laniger*** Genus Ningaui**** Wongai Ningaui, Ningaui ridei**** Pilbara Ningaui, Ningaui timealeyi...
- Tribe SminthopsiniSminthopsini- Classification :* Tribe Sminthopsini** Genus Antechinomys*** Kultarr, Antechinomys laniger** Genus Ningaui*** Wongai Ningaui, Ningaui ridei*** Pilbara Ningaui, Ningaui timealeyi*** Southern Ningaui, Ningaui yvonnae...
- Genus Antechinomys
- KultarrKultarrThe Kultarr , also known as the Jerboa-marsupial, the Jerboa Pouched-mouse, the Wuhl-wuhl or the Pitchi-pitchi, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order. It is the only species in the Antechinomys genus...
, Antechinomys laniger
- Kultarr
- Genus NingauiNingauiNingauis, members of the genus Ningaui, are small members of the dasyurid family. Along with the planigales, they are among the smallest marsupials. They are related to the dunnarts and are restricted to arid regions of Australia....
- Wongai NingauiWongai NingauiThe Wongai Ningaui , also known as the Inland Ningaui, is a small carnivorous marsupial native to Australia.-Taxonomy:...
, Ningaui ridei - Pilbara NingauiPilbara NingauiThe Pilbara Ningaui , sometimes known as Ealey's Ningaui, is a tiny species of marsupial carnivore found in Australia. It rarely exceeds 5.8cm in body length, with a tail 6-7.6cm long and a weight of 5-9.4g...
, Ningaui timealeyi - Southern NingauiSouthern NingauiThe Southern Ningaui , also known as the Mallee Ningaui, is a tiny species of marsupial carnivore and a member of the family Dasyuridae...
, Ningaui yvonnae
- Wongai Ningaui
- Genus Sminthopsis
- †S. floravillensis Archer, 1982
- S. crassicaudata species-group
- Fat-tailed DunnartFat-tailed DunnartThe Fat Tailed Dunnart is a species of mouse-like marsupial of the Dasyuridae family, the family includes the Little Red Kaluta, quolls, and the Tasmanian Devil. It has an average body length of 60–90 mm with a tail of 45–70 mm. Ear length is 14–16 mm...
, Sminthopsis crassicaudata
- Fat-tailed Dunnart
- S. macroura species-group
- Kakadu DunnartKakadu DunnartThe Kakadu Dunnart is a dunnart that was described in 1994 and the closest relative is the Carpentarian Dunnart. Its typical body length is 50-85mm long with a tail of 60-105mm for a total length of between 110-190mm, and a weight of between 10-25g, placing this species in the mid-range of the...
, Sminthopsis bindi - Carpentarian DunnartCarpentarian DunnartThe Carpentarian Dunnart also known as the Butler's Dunnart with a puffy brown or mouse grey colour above and the underside of white, similar to its close relative the Kakadu Dunnart. Head to anus length is 75-88m awith a tail of 72-90mm long for a total length of 147-178mm...
, Sminthopsis butleri - Julia Creek DunnartJulia Creek DunnartThe Julia Creek Dunnart is a marsupial with a large buffy brown upperside and white underside. This dunnart has a body length of 100-135 mm with a tail of 60-105 mm to make a total length of between 160-240 mm. Its weight is between 40-70g. The length of the hind foot is between...
, Sminthopsis douglasi - Stripe-faced DunnartStripe-faced DunnartThe Striped-faced Dunnart is an Australian marsupial. This dunnart has an average length of 155-198 mm from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, snout to anus distance of 75-98 mm, a tail measuring 80-100 mm and an ear length of 17-18 mm. Its weight varies between 15-25 grams. It has a...
, Sminthopsis macroura - Red-cheeked DunnartRed-cheeked DunnartThe Red-cheeked Dunnart is so called because of the distinctive red hair on its cheek. It is an Australasian marsupial. Its total length is 167–270 mm; its average body length is 80–135 mm with a tail of 87–135 mm. Ear length is 12–13 mm. Its weight varies between 18 and...
, Sminthopsis virginiae
- Kakadu Dunnart
- S. granulipes species-group
- White-tailed DunnartWhite-tailed DunnartThe White-tailed Dunnart , also known as the Ash-grey Dunnart, is a dunnart native to Australia. It has an average body length of 126-168 mm, a snout to anus length of 70-100 mm, a tail measurement of 56-68 mm and a weight which varies between 18-35 grams...
, Sminthopsis granulipes
- White-tailed Dunnart
- S. griseoventer species-group
- Kangaroo Island DunnartKangaroo Island DunnartThe Kangaroo Island Dunnart is a dark sooty-grey coloured dunnart species first discovered in 1969, with paler underparts of its body. It has an average body length of 170mm-198mm, a snout to anus length of 80-93 mm, a tail measurement of 90-105 mm, a hind foot of 17.5mm, ear length of 18mm and a...
, Sminthopsis aitkeni - Boullanger Island DunnartBoullanger Island DunnartThe Boullanger Island Dunnart is a species of dunnart found only on Boullanger Island, Western Australia. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Grey-bellied Dunnart , for which reason it was not assessed by the IUCN in 2008...
, Sminthopsis boullangerensis - Grey-bellied Dunnart, Sminthopsis griseoventer
- Kangaroo Island Dunnart
- S. longicaudata species-group
- Long-tailed DunnartLong-tailed DunnartLong-tailed Dunnart is an Australian dunnart that, like the Little Long-tailed Dunnart, has a tail longer than its body. It is also one of the larger dunnarts at a length from snout to tail of 260-306 mm of which head to anus is 80-96 mm and tail 180-210 mm long...
, Sminthopsis longicaudata
- Long-tailed Dunnart
- S. murina species-group
- Chestnut DunnartChestnut DunnartThe Chestnut Dunnart is a dunnart that was described by Van Dyck in 1986 and is named because of its chestnut colour in the upperparts of its body. The length from snout to tail being 167-210 mm of which head to anus is 85-105 mm and tail 82-105 mm long...
, Sminthopsis archeri - Little Long-tailed DunnartLittle Long-tailed DunnartThe Little Long-tailed Dunnart is a dunnart that was, along with Gilbert's Dunnart, described in 1984. The length from snout to tail is 150-200 mm of which head to anus is 65-50 mm and tail 85-105 mm long...
, Sminthopsis dolichura - Sooty DunnartSooty DunnartThe Sooty Dunnart is a species of dunnart found in Western Australia. It is one of the least-known of the dunnarts, with the IUCN classifying it as data deficient. It was formerly believed to be a subspecies of the Common Dunnart ....
, Sminthopsis fulginosus - Gilbert's DunnartGilbert's DunnartGilbert's Dunnart is a recently discovered dunnart, described in 1984. The length from snout to tail being 155-180 mm of which head to anus is 80-90 mm and tail 75-90 mm long...
, Sminthopsis gilberti - White-footed DunnartWhite-footed DunnartThe White Footed Dunnart is a marsupial that occurs of Tasmania and Australia. It occurs along the coast and in inner Gippsland and Alpine areas up to 400 metres near Narbethong...
, Sminthopsis leucopus - Slender-tailed DunnartSlender-tailed DunnartThe Slender-tailed Dunnart , also known as the Common Dunnart in Australia, is a dasyurid marsupial . It has an average body length of 7 to 12 centimeters with a tail length of 5.5 to 13 centimetres...
, Sminthopsis murina
- Chestnut Dunnart
- S. psammophila species-group
- Hairy-footed DunnartHairy-footed DunnartThe Hairy-footed Dunnart is a dunnart that has silver hairs on the soles of it hind feet accompanied by long hair on the side of its sole. It is an Australian marsupial similar to the Ooldea Dunnart, with its upper body yellow-brown and lower body white in colour...
, Sminthopsis hirtipes - Ooldea DunnartOoldea DunnartThe Ooldea Dunnart , also called Troughton's Dunnart after the person who found the species, is an Australian marsupial similar to the Hairy-footed Dunnart. It is greyish-yellow on its upper body and white on the underside with dark patches on its crown, forehead and in front of the eyes, and a...
, Sminthopsis ooldea - Sandhill DunnartSandhill DunnartThe Sandhill Dunnart is a species of small carnivorous Australian marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is known from four scattered arid areas of Australia: near Lake Amadeus in Northern Territory, the central Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, the southwestern edge of the Great Victoria Desert...
, Sminthopsis psammophila - Lesser Hairy-footed DunnartLesser Hairy-footed DunnartThe Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart is a small carnivorous Australian marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is a widespread and fairly common species, being found in many desert areas of Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland...
, Sminthopsis youngsoni
- Hairy-footed Dunnart
- Genus Antechinomys
- Tribe Planigalini
- Genus PlanigalePlanigaleThe genus Planigale are small carnivorous marsupials found in Australia and New Guinea. It is the only genus in the Planigalini tribe of the subfamily Sminthopsinae...
- Paucident PlanigalePaucident PlanigaleThe Paucident Planigale , also known as Giles' Planigale, is a very small species of carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae.-Taxonomy:...
, Planigale gilesi - Long-tailed PlanigaleLong-tailed PlanigaleThe Long-tailed Planigale , also known as Ingram's Planigale or the Northern Planigale, is the smallest of all marsupials, and one of the smallest of all mammals...
, Planigale ingrami - Common Planigale, Planigale maculata
- New Guinean PlanigaleNew Guinean PlanigaleThe New Guinean Planigale , also known as the Papuan Planigale, is a species of small marsupial carnivore native to the Trans Fly savanna and grasslands of New Guinea....
, Planigale novaeguineae - Narrow-nosed PlanigaleNarrow-nosed PlanigaleThe Narrow-nosed Planigale is a species of very small marsupial carnivore of the family Dasyuridae.-Taxonomy:The Narrow-nosed Planigale was described by Ellis Le Geyt Troughton in 1928, separating it from the Common Planigale with which it had previously been associated...
, Planigale tenuirostris
- Paucident Planigale
- Genus Planigale
- Tribe Sminthopsini