Dasyuridae

(vertebrate zoology) A family of mammals in the order Marsupialia characterized by five toes on each hindfoot.

(Dasyuridae)

Class: Mammalia

Order: Dasyuormorphia

Family: Dasyuridae

Thumbnail description
A large family of quadrupedal, predatory insectivores and carnivores, ranges in size from minute to medium

Size
1.8–25.7 in (46–652 mm); 0.07 oz–28.7 lb (2 g–13 kg)

Number of genera, species
17 genera; 69 species

Habitat
Occupy all terrestrial habitats in Australia and Papua New Guinea

Conservation status
Endangered: 6 species; Vulnerable: 9 species; Lower Risk: 4 species; Data Deficient: 9 species

Distribution
All of Australia, Tasmania, and Papua New Guinea, including close offshore islands

Evolution and systematics

First appearing in the fossil record in the early to middle Miocene, dasyurids were rare (only two species known) until the late Miocene, when they increased steadily in diversity to replace the thylacinids as the largest group of Australian carnivorous marsupials. Dasyurids comprise three extant subfamilies and one extinct subfamily (the earliest form), which was a sister group to the living subfamilies, and are most closely related to the thylacinids. Molecular data indicate that all four radiations of dasyurids took place in the late mid-Miocene, perhaps in response to climatic drying. Most of the species present in the Pleistocene were of living taxa, representatives of which occurred no earlier than the Pliocene. It is suggested that the dasyurids are highly specialized among dasyuromorphians in their morphology rather than primitive. The living fauna currently comprises 69 described species in seventeen genera (fifty-three restricted to Australia and islands, fourteen in New Guinea and islands). The number of species will almost certainly increase with taxonomic revisions, particularly with the recognition of morphologically cryptic but genetically distinct species. There is genetic and morphological differentiation at the subspecific level in some species.

Physical characteristics

Dasyurids are nearly all quadrupedal with long tails, long pointed snouts, four toes on the front feet, and four to five toes on the hind feet. If the fifth toe (inner rear) is present, it is a clawless hallux. The footpads, which may be placed on the ground when standing or moving slowly, extend to the heel and wrist joints. There are four upper and three lower incisors, two premolars, and four molars, each of which is similar in form and has distinct cusps with both slicing (carnas-sial) and grinding surfaces (less so in highly carnivorous forms such as the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus laniarius). Across the considerable size range (from the 0.14 oz [4 g] Planigale ingrami, the world's smallest marsupial, to the 28.6 lb [13 kg] devil), body shape is remarkably uniform. Arboreal species tend to have broader hind feet than terrestrial species, and a more prominent, dexterous hallux. One sandy desert species has fine bristles on the footpads. The most extreme variations in morphology include Antechinomys laniger, which has elongated hind legs and a bounding gait, and the heavily built, specialist scavenger, the Tasmanian devil, with massive skull, teeth, and jaw musculature. Coat color is mostly uniform shades of gray, sandy to reddish to dark brown, or black, sometimes with a lighter underbelly. Striking markings are the province of the larger dasyurids, with white spots on quolls and white markings in the devil, although six New Guinean dasyures (three Murexia, one Myoictis, and at least one Phascolosorex) have dark dorsal stripes, and two diurnal species have speckled (speckled dasyure, Neophascogale lorentzii) or grizzled (dibbler, Parantechinus spp.) gray fur, all of which may serve as camouflage. Some desert dasyurids have very sparse fine tail hair, the smaller quolls have soft, fluffy tails, while others are finely tufted at the tip, or sport a highly visible black bushy brush that contrasts with the pale body fur. Tail fur may function as flags in communication. Some species, notably the fattailed pseudantechinus (Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis), the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata), and the Tasmanian devil, store quantities of fat in their tail when environmental conditions are good, leading to a distinctly parsnip-shaped tail. The pouch is either well developed (though still quite shallow compared with diprotodont marsupials) as well as backwards facing, or it is almost absent (raised lateral ridges of skin) and downward facing. Teat number varies from four to 12 and may vary within species. Male Tasmanian devils have a shallow scrotal pouch.

Distribution

Dasyurids occur in virtually every terrestrial environment at all altitudes in mainland Australia and some offshore islands, mainland New Guinea, and some islands between Australia and New Guinea. In Australia, species diversity of the smaller species is higher in arid regions than in the more mesic coastal and sub-coastal areas of the east, southeast, and extreme southwest, while the converse is true for the larger dasyurids (more than 17 oz [500 g]), quolls, and devils). Species richness of small dasyurids reaches its highest density in the spinifex hummock grasslands of arid central Australia (average 5.3, maximum eight species) and is correlated with structural complexity of the habitat that allows niche separation. Population density, on the other hand, reaches highest levels in coastal forest and heath among the smaller species, and is uniformly low in the arid zone. With the disappearance of the chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), there are no larger dasyurids in the arid zone. The island of Tasmania supports the largest assemblage of larger dasyurids (three species, historically four) following the historic and prehistoric extinction of three of these species from mainland Australia. Dasyurid distribution within New Guinea is poorly documented.

Habitat

Every type of terrestrial habitat in Australia and New Guinea is occupied by dasyurids. Habitat preferences of individual species are strongly associated with food supply, and with either protection from predators or suitable habitat structure for hunting. Even the largest species require dense vegetation or crevices as refuge from mammalian and raptorial predators. Tasmanian devils cover many miles (kilometers) in a night's foraging and show a preference for habitats with an open understory or routes through dense vegetation.

Behavior

The majority of dasyurids for which spacing patterns have been studied occupies undefended home ranges that overlap with other individuals of both sexes. The females of two species of quolls maintain a core or major part of their home range exclusive to other females, but overlap with several males. The mechanism of territorial defense is not known. At the other extreme, among very small arid-zone dasyurids, drifting home ranges, transience, and high mobility are common. Very long-distance movements relative to the diminutive size of these animals have been recorded, including movements in excess of 0.6 mi (1 km) in 24 hours in the 1.05 oz (30 g) white-footed dunnart (Sminthopsis leucopus). This strategy is adaptive in environments where insect prey abundance is low and unpredictable.

Feeding ecology and diet

The huge range of body sizes in the Dasyuridae means that diet encompasses a broad range of invertebrate and vertebrate prey sizes. Prey size increases with body size. Dasyurids that are less than 5.2 oz (150 g) in body size are mostly insectivorous, although they may kill and eat small mammals, lizards, and frogs, and eat carrion of larger species if it is available. Carnivory (consumption of vertebrate prey) gradually replaces insectivory as body size increases. At approximately 2.2 lb (1 kg), dasyurids become too large to support themselves primarily on invertebrates, and carnivory takes over as the principal component of the diet. Only the two largest species, the Tasmanian devil and the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), in which adult females and males exceed 4.4 lb (2 kg), are exclusively carnivorous. Tasmanian devils are specialized scavengers as well as being highly effective predators, although all species are likely to eat carrion if it is available. Several species have been recorded eating soft fruit or flowers seasonally, including antechinuses and eastern quolls.

Some species, both large and small, are renowned for their ferocity and take prey up to several times their body size. Prey is killed using generalized crushing bites towards the anterior end. The rear of the skull and the nape are often targeted in small vertebrates, and devils and spotted-tailed quolls go for the throat or chest of macropods.

Reproductive biology

The degree of reproductive synchrony and seasonality in dasyurids is associated with latitude and climatic predictability. Reproductive seasonality is known for approximately half of species with an information bias on a few temperate and arid zone animals; very little is known of the New Guinean species. Most Australian dasyurids are seasonal breeders, and probably promiscuous. Reproduction is tightly synchronous (three to four weeks) in many temperate species, particularly the semelparous antechinuses and phascogales, but can extend over a number of months in arid zone animals. New Guinean dasyurids from wet tropical forests, for the two species of Murexia and one species of Phascolosorex, breed year-round. Changes in photoperiod seem to be the most important force driving timing of reproduction, which is consistent with aseasonal breeding in the wet tropical forests. In arid areas, rainfall events are important in defining the precise timing of reproduction within the broader seasonal window. This flexibility in arid-zone species enables reproduction to be synchronized with maximal food supply after rain, as breeding in predictably seasonal regions is timed so that young emerge in the late spring food flush.

Conservation status

Fourteen (24%) of the 58 smaller (less than 17.6 oz; 500 g) and two (40%) of the five larger (more than 17.6 oz; 500 g) Australian dasyurids are classified as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Data Deficient (IUCN criteria). This list does not include another five small and two larger species that are Lower Risk/Near Threatened. There is insufficient information available to assess the status of the New Guinean dasyurids.

Among the smaller species, larger (3.5–17.6 oz;100–500 g) body size and restricted habitat associations correlate strongly with endangerment. Habitat loss and fragmentation, altered fire regimes, and predation are the main threatening processes. The larger dasyurids have been more affected by human impacts than the smaller species. This is perhaps a consequence of their lower population densities and greater needs for space. They also are more likely to run into direct conflict with humans over livestock depredations, and are susceptible to non-target poisoning from fox baits and road mortality. The principal factor threatening the smaller quolls has been predation by red foxes, resulting in catastrophic declines and population extinctions across continental Australia everywhere fox populations are abundant. Tasmania has remained dingo- and fox-free until very recently (2000) and has functioned as a refuge for larger dasyurids, supporting healthy populations of three species.

A recovery plan implemented in 1992 for the chuditch (western quoll) has used captive breeding, reintroduction, and translocation of quolls to suitable areas of habitat within its former distributional range, as well as intense ongoing fox control through poison-baiting programs. The success of this plan saw the recovery of this species from Endangered to Vulnerable in 1996. Chuditch may soon be removed from threatened species lists as well, although it is likely to retain the status of Lower Risk/Conservation Dependent, referring to the requirement in perpetuity for fox control. No recovery plans have yet been adopted for the smaller species.

Significance to humans

Apart from an occasional food source, the smaller species of daysurids seem not to have had great significance for aboriginal peoples. The larger, more distinctive species like quolls, were frequently totemic species and had dreaming histories and individual names that persisted long after they became extinct in a region.

Species Accounts

Resources

Archer, M., T. Flannery, S. Hand, and J. Long. (2002). Prehistoric Mammals of Australia and New Guinea: One Hundred Million Years of Evolution. Sydney: UNSW Press, 2002.

Dickman, R. R. "Distributional Ecology of Dasyurid Marsupials." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M. E. Jones, C. R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing:2003.

Flannery, T. Mammals of New Guinea. Sydney: Reed Books, 1995.

Geiser, F. "Thermal Biology and Energetics of Carnivorous Marsupials." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M. E. Jones, C. R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Books, 2003.

Krajewski, C., and M. Westerman. "Molecular Systematics of Dasyuromorphia." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M. E. Jones, C. R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 2003.

McAllan, B. "Timing of Reproduction in Carnivorous Marsupials." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M. E. Jones, C. R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 2003.

Morris, K., B. Johnson, P. Orell, A. Wayne, and G. Gaikorst. "Recovery of the Threatened Chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii Gould, 1841: A Case Study." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M. E. Jones, C.R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 2003.

Morton, S. R., C. R. Dickman, and T. P. Fletcher. "Dasyuridae." In Fauna of Australia, edited by D. W. Walton, and B. J. Richardson. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1989.

Strahan, R., ed. The Mammals of Australia. Sydney: Australian Museum, Reed Books, 1995.

Wilson, B. A., C. R. Dickman, and T. P. Fletcher. "Dasyurid Dilemmas: Problems and Solutions for Conserving Australia's Small Carnivorous Marsupials." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M.E. Jones, C. R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 2003.

Wroe, S. "Australian Marsupial Carnivores: An Overview of Recent Advances in Paleontology." In Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials, edited by M. E. Jones, C. R. Dickman, and M. Archer. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 2003.

Fisher, D. O., C. R. Dickman. (1993). "Body Size-Prey Size Relationships in Insectivorous Marsupials: Tests of Three Hypotheses." Ecology 74 (1993): 1871–1883.

Jones, M. E., and L. A. Barmuta. "Diet Overlap and Abundance of Sympatric Dasyurid Carnivores: A Hypothesis of Competition?" Journal of Animal Ecology 67 (1998): 410–421.

[Article by: Menna Jones, PhD]

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: dasyures; native cats; pouched mice; banded anteaters; Tasmanian devils
  Synonyms: family Dasyuridae, family Dasyurinae

Dasyurids[1]
Tiger Quoll
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Subclass: Marsupialia Order: Dasyuromorphia Family: Dasyuridae Goldfuss, 1820
Subfamilies & Tribes
Dasyurinae Dasyurini Phascogalini Sminthopsinae Sminthopsini Planigalini

The Dasyuridae is a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, including 61 species divided into 15 genera.^[1] Many are small and mouse-like, giving them the misnomer marsupial mice, but the group also includes the cat-sized quolls, 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.

Characteristics

Most dasyurids are roughly the size of mice, 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 shrews or mice in appearance, with long tails and narrow, pointed noses. The larger species bear a resemblance to such placental carnivores as mongooses or mustelids.^[2]

Many features of dasyurids are considered primitive, that is, that they resemble the features of the earliest marsupials, from which other species, such as kangaroos and bandicoots, 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:

Dentition
4.1.2-3.4
3.1.2-3.4

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.^[2] 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, with both figures varying between 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 dunnarts, 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.^[2]

Adult dasyurids are typically solitary, or travel in small groups of two to three individuals.

Classification

• Family Dasyuridae
  • Genus Ganbulanyi (fossil)
  • Genus Glaucodon (fossil)
  • Subfamily Barinyainae (fossil)
    • Genus Barinya (fossil)
  • Subfamily Dasyurinae
    • Tribe Dasyurini
      • Genus Dasycercus
        • Brush-tailed Mulgara, Dasycercus blythi
        • Crest-tailed Mulgara, Dasycercus cristicauda
      • Genus Dasykaluta
        • Little Red Kaluta, Dasykaluta rosamondae
      • Genus Dasyuroides
        • Kowari, Dasyuroides byrnei
      • Genus Dasyurus: quolls
        • New Guinean Quoll, Dasyurus albopunctatus
        • Western Quoll, Dasyurus geoffroii
        • Northern Quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus
        • Tiger Quoll, Dasyurus maculatus
        • Bronze Quoll, Dasyurus spartacus
        • Eastern Quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus
      • Genus Myoictis
        • Myoictis leucura
        • Three-striped Dasyure, Myoictis melas
        • Wallace's Dasyure, Myoictis wallacii
        • Myoictis wavicus
      • Genus Neophascogale
        • Speckled Dasyure, Neophascogale lorentzi
      • Genus Parantechinus
        • Dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis
      • Genus Phascolosorex
        • Red-bellied Marsupial Shrew, Phascolosorex doriae
        • Narrow-striped Marsupial Shrew, Phascolosorex dorsalis
      • Genus Pseudantechinus
        • Sandstone Dibbler, Pseudantechinus bilarni
        • Fat-tailed False Antechinus, Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis
        • Alexandria False Antechinus, Pseudantechinus mimulus
        • Ningbing False Antechinus, Pseudantechinus ningbing
        • Rory Cooper's False Antechinus, Pseudantechinus roryi
        • Woolley's False Antechinus, Pseudantechinus woolleyae
      • Genus Sarcophilus
        • Tasmanian Devil, Sarcophilus harrisii
    • Tribe Phascogalini
      • Genus Antechinus
        • Tropical Antechinus, Antechinus adustus
        • Agile Antechinus, Antechinus agilis
        • Fawn Antechinus, Antechinus bellus
        • Yellow-footed Antechinus, Antechinus flaviceps
        • Atherton Antechinus, Antechinus godmani
        • Cinnamon Antechinus, Antechinus leo
        • Swamp Antechinus, Antechinus minimus
        • Brown Antechinus, Antechinus stuartii
        • Subtropical Antechinus, Antechinus subtropicus
        • Dusky Antechinus, Antechinus swainsonii
      • Genus Micromurexia
        • Habbema Dasyure, Micromurexia habbema
      • Genus Murexechinus
        • Black-tailed Dasyure, Murexechinus melanurus
      • Genus Murexia
        • Short-furred Dasyure, Murexia longicaudata
      • Genus Paramurexia
        • Broad-striped Dasyure, Paramurexia rothschildi
      • Genus Phascomurexia
        • Long-nosed Dasyure, Phascomurexia naso
      • Genus Phascogale
        • Red-tailed Phascogale, Phascogale calura
        • Brush-tailed Phascogale, Phascogale tapoatafa
  • Subfamily Sminthopsinae
    • Tribe Sminthopsini
      • Genus Antechinomys
        • Kultarr, Antechinomys laniger
      • Genus Ningaui
        • Wongai Ningaui, Ningaui ridei
        • Pilbara Ningaui, Ningaui timealeyi
        • Southern Ningaui, Ningaui yvonnae
      • Genus Sminthopsis
        • †S. floravillensis Archer, 1982
        • S. crassicaudata species-group
          • Fat-tailed Dunnart, Sminthopsis crassicaudata
        • S. macroura species-group
          • Kakadu Dunnart, Sminthopsis bindi
          • Carpentarian Dunnart, Sminthopsis butleri
          • Julia Creek Dunnart, Sminthopsis douglasi
          • Stripe-faced Dunnart, Sminthopsis macroura
          • Red-cheeked Dunnart, Sminthopsis virginiae
        • S. granulipes species-group
          • White-tailed Dunnart, Sminthopsis granulipes
        • S. griseoventer species-group
          • Kangaroo Island Dunnart, Sminthopsis aitkeni
          • Boullanger Island Dunnart, Sminthopsis boullangerensis
          • Grey-bellied Dunnart, Sminthopsis griseoventer
        • S. longicaudata species-group
          • Long-tailed Dunnart, Sminthopsis longicaudata
        • S. murina species-group
          • Chestnut Dunnart, Sminthopsis archeri
          • Little Long-tailed Dunnart, Sminthopsis dolichura
          • Sooty Dunnart, Sminthopsis fulginosus
          • Gilbert's Dunnart, Sminthopsis gilberti
          • White-footed Dunnart, Sminthopsis leucopus
          • Slender-tailed Dunnart, Sminthopsis murina
        • S. psammophila species-group
          • Hairy-footed Dunnart, Sminthopsis hirtipes
          • Ooldea Dunnart, Sminthopsis ooldea
          • Sandhill Dunnart, Sminthopsis psammophila
          • Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart, Sminthopsis youngsoni
    • Tribe Planigalini
      • Genus Planigale
        • Paucident Planigale, Planigale gilesi
        • Long-tailed Planigale, Planigale ingrami
        • Common Planigale, Planigale maculata
        • New Guinean Planigale, Planigale novaeguineae
        • Narrow-nosed Planigale, Planigale tenuirostris

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M.. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 23-37. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Lee, A.K. (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 838–845. ISBN 0-87196-871-1. 

v • d • e Extant Dasyuromorphia species Kingdom Animalia · Phylum Chordata · Class Mammalia · Infraclass Marsupialia   Family Dasyuridae, subfamily Dasyurinae Dasyurini Dasycercus (Mulgaras) Brush-tailed Mulgara (D. blythi) · Crest-tailed Mulgara (D. cristicauda) Dasykaluta Little Red Kaluta (D. rosamondae) Dasyuroides Kowari (D. byrnei) Dasyurus (Quolls) New Guinean Quoll (D. albopunctatus) · Western Quoll (D. geoffroii) · Northern Quoll (D. hallucatus) · Tiger Quoll (D. maculatus) · Bronze Quoll (D. spartacus) · Eastern Quoll (D. viverrinus) Myoictis Three-striped Dasyure (M. melas) · Wallace's Dasyure (M. wallacii) Neophascogale Speckled Dasyure (N. lorentzi) Parantechinus Dibbler (P. apicalis) Phascolosorex (Marsupial shrews) Red-bellied Marsupial Shrew (P. doriae) · Narrow-striped Marsupial Shrew (P. dorsalis) Pseudantechinus (False antechinuses) Sandstone Dibbler (P. bilarni) · Fat-tailed False Antechinus (P. macdonnellensis) · Alexandria False Antechinus (P. mimulus) · Ningbing False Antechinus (P. ningbing) · Rory Cooper's False Antechinus (P. roryi) · Woolley's False Antechinus (P. woolleyae) Sarcophilus Tasmanian Devil (S. harrisii) Phascogalini Antechinus Tropical Antechinus (A. adustus) · Agile Antechinus (A. agilis) · Fawn Antechinus (A. bellus) · Yellow-footed Antechinus (A. flaviceps) · Atherton Antechinus (A. godmani) · Cinnamon Antechinus (A. leo) · Swamp Antechinus (A. minimus) · Brown Antechinus (A. stuartii) · Subtropical Antechinus (A. subtropicus) · Dusky Antechinus (A. swainsonii) Micromurexia Habbema Dasyure (A. habbema) Murexechinus Black-tailed Dasyure (M. melanurus) Murexia Short-furred Dasyure (M. longicaudata) Paramurexia Broad-striped Dasyure (P. rothschildi) Phascomurexia Long-nosed Dasyure (P. naso) Phascogale Red-tailed Phascogale (P. calura) · Brush-tailed Phascogale (P. tapoatafa)   Family Dasyuridae, subfamily Sminthopsinae Sminthopsini Antechinomys Kultarr (A. laniger) Ningaui Wongai Ningaui (N. ridei) · Pilbara Ningaui (N. timealeyi) · Southern Ningaui (N. yvonnae) Sminthopsis (Dunnarts) S. crassicaudata species-group: Fat-tailed Dunnart (S. crassicaudata) S. macroura species-group: Kakadu Dunnart (S. bindi) · Carpentarian Dunnart (S. butleri) · Julia Creek Dunnart (S. douglasi) · Stripe-faced Dunnart (S. macroura) · Red-cheeked Dunnart (S. virginiae) S. granulipes species-group: White-tailed Dunnart (S. granulipes) S. griseoventer species-group: Kangaroo Island Dunnart (S. aitkeni) · Boullanger Island Dunnart (S. boullangerensis) · Grey-bellied Dunnart (S. griseoventer) S. longicaudata species-group: Long-tailed Dunnart (S. longicaudata) S. murina species-group: Chestnut Dunnart (S. archeri) · Little Long-tailed Dunnart (S. dolichura) · Sooty Dunnart (S. fulginosus) · Gilbert's Dunnart (S. gilberti) · White-footed Dunnart (S. leucopus) · Slender-tailed Dunnart (S. murina) S. psammophila species-group: Hairy-footed Dunnart (S. hirtipes) · Ooldea Dunnart (S. ooldea) · Sandhill Dunnart (S. psammophila) · Lesser Hairy-footed Dunnart (S. youngsoni) Planigalini Planigale Paucident Planigale (P. gilesi) · Long-tailed Planigale (P. ingrami) · Common Planigale (P. maculata) · New Guinean Planigale (P. novaeguineae) · Narrow-nosed Planigale (P. tenuirostris)   Family Myrmecobiidae Myrmecobius Numbat (M. fasciatus)

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