Dasyuridae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of carnivorous marsupials native to Australia, known for their agile hunting abilities and diverse species, including the quoll and the Tasmanian devil
2. This group comprises small to medium-sized marsupials characterized by sharp teeth and an adaptation for predation, playing a vital role in Australian ecosystems
3. Members of this family exhibit a range of sizes and behaviors, emphasizing their predatory nature while contributing to the ecological balance in their habitats

Etymology: Dasyuridae is a scientific name, coined in the 19th century, for the family of carnivorous marsupials that includes quolls, Tasmanian devils and dunnarts. It was formed from "Dasyurus", the genus name, which combines Greek "dasys", meaning "hairy" or "shaggy", with Greek "oura", meaning "tail". The name thus describes a hairy-tailed animal, a reference to the thick fur on the tails of the quolls. The family name follows the standard zoological pattern: a genus name with the suffix "-idae" added to mark a family rank, a convention established in the nineteenth-century classification of animals. Because the name was built from classical roots rather than inherited from ancient writers, no Greek or Roman author ever used it for these animals.

Synonyms: marsupial carnivores, marsupial predators