Dasyurids

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of carnivorous marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, characterized by generally small to medium size, sharp teeth, and a diet primarily consisting of insects and small animals
2. A group of meat-eating marsupials primarily found in Australasia, noted for their often rodent-like appearance, nocturnal habits, and ecological role as predators of invertebrates and small vertebrates
3. Mammals within a specific family distinguished by their predatory behavior, marsupial reproduction, and habitats spanning Australia and New Guinea, including species such as quolls and the Tasmanian devil

Etymology: "Dasyurids" is simply the plural of "dasyurid," a noun for any member of the family Dasyuridae, the group of small carnivorous marsupials that includes quolls, Tasmanian devils and numbats. The singular is the form that carries the etymology: it is a scientific coinage built from the family name, which in turn is formed from the Greek roots "dasys," meaning "hairy" or "thick-furred," and "oura," meaning "tail." The name therefore points to the shaggy tails characteristic of many members of the group. Because the family name was devised by naturalists working with classical Greek, not inherited from ancient speakers, the word is a modern technical term rather than an old everyday one. The plural adds only the regular English "-s," so it follows the same pattern as any other count noun in biological classification.

Synonyms: marsupials, carnivorous marsupials