Dasyure

Dasyure, any animal of the marsupial genus Dasyurus, with four species, from Tasmania and Australia, approaching the Carnivora in structure and habit. The canine teeth are well developed, and the premolars and molars have sharp cusps. The best known species is D. ursinus, the "Tasmanian devil" of the colonists. It has been compared to a small bear, with long legs and tail, but the body is only about 2 feet in length. The fur is black and coarse, with a broad white band across the chest and another over the back close to the tail. These animals are very savage, and prey on poultry, and in some cases attack sheep. Other forms are the Spotted Dasyure (D. maculatus), about the size of a cat; Mauge's Dasyure (D. maugei), still smaller; and Geoffroy's Dasyure (D. geoffroyi), which preys on mice, rats, and birds. None of the genus has a true pouch.