Family: Dasyuridae = Carnivorous marsupials. Carnivorous marsupials (Dasyuridae) Order Carnivorous marsupials

Family taxonomy Carnivorous marsupials:

Subfamily: Dasyurinae =

Genus: Dasykaluta = Western Australian marsupial mice

Genus: Dasyuroides Spencer, 1896 = Double-crested carnivorous marsupials

Genus: Myoictis Gray, 1858 = Striped marsupial martens

Genus: Neophascogale Stein, 1933 = Long-clawed marsupial mice

Genus: Parantechinus = Speckled marsupial mouse

Genus: Phascolosorex Matschie, 1916 = Striped marsupial rats

Genus: Pseudantechinus = Thick-tailed marsupial mice

Subfamily: Planigalinae =

Genus: Ningaui Archer, 1975 = Ningo

Genus: Planigale Troughton, 1928 = Flat-headed marsupial rats

Among other families of the order, predatory marsupials are the most primitive. This family includes the smallest in the order, medium or large and very diverse in appearance and lifestyle of marsupials. Body length ranges from 4-10 cm in representatives of the genus of flat-headed marsupial mice to 100-110 cm in the marsupial wolf. The body build varies from squat and awkward to slender and tall-legged. The shape of the muzzle ranges from blunt to pointed. Ears are small or medium height. Unlike representatives of the possum family, the tail of predatory marsupials is not prehensile and, in most species, is covered with hair along its entire length. Often fat is deposited in the tail, and then it becomes thicker.
The forelimbs are five-fingered, and the hind limbs are four- or five-fingered. The big toe of the hind limb, when present, is small in size and without a claw. The hind limbs can be disproportionately elongated, and the forelimbs shortened (marsupial jerboas). The brood pouch may be absent, weakly or well developed (in the latter case it opens backwards). The number of nipples in females varies from 2 to 12 (usually 6-8).
Hairline short, thick and soft. Its color is brown with different shades, gray, reddish or blackish, sometimes with white spots (genus of spotted marsupial martens) or black stripes (striped marsupial marten etc.) on the back.
The dental formula varies among different members of the family from 42 to 46 teeth. The incisors are small, the canines are large. Cheek teeth with three sharp peaks on the chewing surface. The indigenous ones are especially large. There are 7 cervical, 13 thoracic, 6 lumbar, 2 sacral and 18-25 caudal vertebrae.
The urogenital sinus and rectum are separated from each other. In males, the ureter opens at the base of the penis, and the vas deferens opens at its apex. The stomach is simple. The cecum is absent. The following genera studied have a diploid set of 14 chromosomes: marsupial mice, spotted marsupial martens, narrow-footed marsupial mice and Tasmanian devils.
Carnivorous marsupials are found in a wide variety of landscapes and at varying altitudes from sea ​​coast up to 4000 m above sea level. Lead by ground (most representatives) or wood image life, activity is predominantly nocturnal. As a rule, they stay alone. Usually major representatives families are carnivorous, small ones are insectivorous. Most species are characterized by a monoestrous type of reproduction. Pregnancy 8-30 days. The number of cubs is 3-10. The young remain in the pouch for approximately 150 days. Sexual maturity occurs at 8-12 months. Lifespan in small forms up to 7, and in large forms up to 10-12 years.
Distributed in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and adjacent small islands.
There are 13 genera (48 species) in the family. Marsupial anteater(family Myrmecobiidae) feeds on ants and termites and, unlike predatory animals, leads a diurnal lifestyle. Marsupial mole (fam. Notoryctidae) resembles our mole in appearance, lifestyle and diet. The bandicoot family, or marsupial badgers, - Peramelidae includes 19 species of mobile small animals inhabiting river valleys and forest edges; mixed food. Rat possum family - Caenolestidae looks like rats or shrews; feed on various invertebrates; forest inhabitants. Couscous family - Phalangeridae includes 43 species, very diverse in appearance; resemble mice, rats, squirrels, martens and foxes; body length 6-80 cm. Most species are herbivorous, some are omnivorous or insectivorous. This family also includes peculiar marsupial bears, or koala, - Phascolarctos cinereus. Marmots resemble wombats (2 species, family Phascolomyidae) - inhabitants of steppes, savannas and forests, digging long holes; They feed on grass, roots and tree bark. The female gives birth to only one calf.

Literature:
1. Sokolov V. E. Systematics of mammals. Textbook manual for universities. M., " graduate School", 1973. 432 pp. with illustrations.
2. Naumov N.P., Kartashev N.N. Zoology of vertebrates. - Part 2. - Reptiles, birds, mammals: A textbook for biologists. specialist. univ. - M.: Higher. school, 1979. - 272 p., ill.

Dasyuromorphia Gill, 1872

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Excerpt characterizing Carnivorous marsupials

Marsupials animals- These are mammals that give birth to premature offspring. Baby marsupials are born on early stage development and further develop inside the mother’s special skin bursa. Most marsupials, with the exception of opossums, are native to the Americas. For millions of years Australia was isolated from the rest of the world. On other continents, marsupials gave way to placentals (mammals whose young fully develop in the womb) in the struggle for food and living space. Therefore, all of them, with the exception of , became extinct. But in Australia, marsupials had no rivals. The range of marsupials includes more than 250 species.

Baby marsupials are tiny when born; they are blind and hairless. Their limbs are underdeveloped, but the babies crawl along the mother’s fur to her nipples. After a few months, the cubs leave the pouch, but may return to roost there until they reach one year of age. Marsupials eat plant and animal foods.

Carnivorous marsupials- a number of small carnivorous marsupials, which include spotted marsupial martens, narrow-footed marsupial mice, numbats and Tasmanian devils.

Nambat

Nambat is a marsupial with stripes on its back, dark stripes around its eyes, and a bushy tail (also known as the striped anteater). The main diet of the nambat is termites.

Spotted marsupial marten

Spotted marsupial marten also known as marsupial cat. They have a pink nose and white spots on their back. In females, a pouch is formed only during the mating season.

Tasmanian devil

- the most terrible predator of the entire family; lives on the Australian island of Tasmania. It is a squat animal with dark fur and white spots on its chest. It feeds mainly on carrion, but can also hunt small animals.

Marsupial mole

Marsupial mole‒ a marsupial animal, very similar to ordinary moles in appearance and habits. These creatures dig tunnels underground, hunting insects and worms. Females have pouches that open backwards and only two nipples (meaning they can only give birth to two young at a time).

Two-incisor marsupials- a number of marsupials, which include kangaroos, wallabies, possums, koalas and wombats. They have two large front teeth lower jaw. The second and third toes of the hind paws of these animals are fused. They are predominantly herbivores.

Honey possum

Honey possum- a small animal with long tail and a strongly elongated muzzle, adapted for searching for nectar and pollen in flowers. This is one of the few mammals that feed on nectar.

Koala

Lives in trees and feeds on leaves and shoots of eucalyptus; has a large nose and ears. With the help of tenacious paws, koalas deftly climb trees, while the cubs hold on to their mother’s back. Inhabits eucalyptus forests in the southern and south-eastern regions of Australia. Solitary animal, but male and female territorial ranges may overlap.

Wallaby

Wallaby- a small animal with thick fur than its relative - the kangaroo; lives in rocky deserts, meadows and forests.

Wombat

Has a short tail and small paws. Wombats are wonderful diggers; they live in underground burrows. The females' pouches open backwards, protecting them from soil getting inside.

Kangaroo

Kangaroo live in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. They live in groups (herds) on open grassy plains. Today there are about 50 different species. The kangaroo moves by hopping on its long hind legs. All of them have fairly short forelimbs and strong hind limbs, and also - almost all species - a long powerful tail, which can reach a meter in length and serves as a balancer and additional support for the kangaroo. Females have a pouch on their abdomen in which the young develop. Kangaroo pregnancy lasts only 30-40 days. The baby is born the size of thumb person. After this, it immediately moves into the mother’s pouch and firmly attaches itself to one of the nipples. The little kangaroo goes outside for the first time only after a few months.

Some interesting facts about marsupials

The body sizes of marsupials range from a few centimeters to 1.5 meters. The smallest marsupial on Earth is the long-tailed marsupial mouse.. The length of its body is from 80 to 100 mm, its tail - from 180 to 210 mm.. The large red kangaroo is considered the largest marsupial. Adult kangaroos can reach 2 m in height. A baby giant kangaroo remains in its mother's pouch for about 235 days.

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Family of Predatory Marsupials (Dasyuridae)

They are primitive and most closely related to American opossums. They have an archaic dental system with a full row of incisors. They typically have a primitive structure of the hind limbs: they are five-fingered, all fingers are well developed and separated from one another. The dental system, the structure of the legs and the size of these animals suggest that one of the most primitive representatives of the family - the yellow-footed marsupial mouse - closely resembles the ancient original form from which all marsupials once developed.

The family of carnivorous marsupials (it would be more correct to call it the family of carnivores and insectivores) has 2 subfamilies, of which the most rich in species a primitive subfamily of marsupial mice, or mousebirds, a subfamily of actually predatory marsupials.

Representatives of the subfamily of marsupial mice, or mousebirds (Phascogalinae), are similar in size to ordinary mice and rats. There are also very small forms among them. For example, the body length of the Kimberly marsupial mouse (Planigale subtilissima) is only 45 mm. This is the smallest living marsupial.

Marsupial mice are characterized by a primitive dental system: they have many small incisors and primitive tricuspid molars, convenient for grinding insects. The basis of nutrition of these animals are beetles, locusts, centipedes, arachnids, earthworms, small lizards. Marsupial mice also attack house mice and even rats brought by humans. These are agile, brave and voracious animals.

The subfamily has 10 genera and 34 species. Most of them (the genera Antechinus, Planigale, Dasycercus and Sminthopsis) are known as various marsupial mice, or mousebirds. Animals belonging to the genera Phascogale and Dasyuroides are larger; they are commonly called marsupial rats. In addition, the subfamily includes marsupial jerboas (genus Antechinomys).

Most representatives of the subfamily are inhabitants of arid and semi-arid regions: forests, mountains, steppes and semi-deserts.

As already mentioned, different types the bag is developed very unequally. By studying this subfamily, one can trace how the pouch was formed in marsupials in general through gradual transitions. The number of nipples in representatives of this subfamily varies from 6 to 12, which approximately corresponds to the number of cubs. The size of a newborn is about 1 cm.

Marsupial mice climb trees well. Their usual shelters are voids and crevices in rocks, trees and soil.

Flat-skulled marsupial mice, or mousebirds (genus Planigale), belong to three species. They are characterized by a highly flattened skull, similar to that of a lizard. Thanks to it, animals can crawl into the narrowest crevices, for example, into cracks in dry soil. They inhabit drying swamps and ponds, usually covered with impenetrable thickets of tough grasses. The basis of nutrition is locusts.

All representatives of the genus are smaller than our house mouse.

Comb-tailed marsupial mice, or mousebirds (genus Dasycercus), belong to two species living in the Australian deserts. At the base of the tail there is a thickening containing fat reserves. These are diurnal animals. They often lie spread out like lizards and bask in the sun. They can tolerate very large (for mammals) doses of insolation. The bag is almost missing. The cubs, hanging on the mother's teats for about a month, are protected only by a small lateral fold of skin. It is very difficult to catch and observe these animals. The mullgara comb-tailed mousebird (Dasycercus cristicauda) is very voracious, but is easily tamed and lives well in captivity. Mulgara destroys many house mice and even rats.

Slender, large-eared, narrow-legged marsupial mice, or mousebirds, are representatives of the extensive genus Sminthopsis, numbering 12 species. Most of them live on the Australian mainland, one species lives in Tasmania and one lives in New Guinea. They inhabit arid steppes and semi-desert areas. They are predominantly insectivorous, but on occasion they will readily attack house mice and other small animals. They have a very developed concern for their offspring. One farmer in New South Wales used a plow to plow out of the burrow of a female narrow-legged marsupial mouse with ten cubs hanging on her sides. He noticed her as she slowly walked away with her overwhelming burden. When several of her cubs were taken off her, she did not run away, but ran around squeaking until she managed to gather all ten of them onto her back again. Narrow-legged marsupial mice are easily tamed. They are very gluttonous. Thus, one animal weighing about 20 g ate 5 earthworms and 3 small lizards- ate without a trace, with skin and bones. These animals are very useful, as they destroy insects in large numbers: locusts, cockroaches, termites. Unfortunately, in many areas they have been almost wiped out by feral cats.

Marsupial rats differ from marsupial mice proper in size. There are two genera of marsupial rats: brush-tailed rats (genus Phascogale) and comb-tailed rats (genus Dasyuroides).

Marsupial jerboas(genus Antechinomys) are graceful small animals with large ears and highly developed hind legs and tail, making jumps up to almost 2 liters in length. Although their forelimbs are shorter than their hind limbs, they are not as reduced as, for example, those of a kangaroo. The “technique” of their movement is more like the jumping of a hare. The feet of the paws are swollen in the shape of pillows. The tail is very long, with a brush at the end and curved so that the animal can lean on it while jumping, as do real jerboas and kangaroos.

Marsupial jerboas inhabit dry savannas Eastern Australia and rocky or sandy areas of the Central Australian Desert. These are strictly nocturnal animals, very poorly studied.

They are insectivorous, but on occasion they attack small lizards and rodents; in captivity they feed on meat. When placed in a box with mice, they are immediately attacked.

The usual number of young is 7. The pouch is poorly developed and opens backwards.

The subfamily of the actual predatory marsupials (Dasyurinae) includes larger and more highly organized animals. The subfamily includes small spotted animals, known in Australia as marsupials, or native cats, and the larger marsupial, or Tasmanian devil. Outwardly, these animals are very different, but they have a common origin.

Marsupials, or native cats, represent a transitional group from insectivorous mousebirds to true predators - Tasmanian devil, and then to the marsupial wolf. In the structure of their teeth, one can trace a series of transitions from an insectivorous type of nutrition to a carnivorous one. Native cats resemble both ordinary cats and to a greater extent small predators such as martens or mongooses. They have a thin, graceful snout and a long bushy tail. The gray or reddish skin is covered with evenly spaced white spots. According to legends local residents, these spots are traces of wounds accidentally received by these animals during the battle that took place between two heroes of the South Australian tribes - Pilla and Inda. Marsupial cats played a large role in ancient rites and participated in mystical religious ceremonies.

Almost all marsupial cats are arboreal animals. They track down prey and overtake it by jumping. There are 5 types of marsupial cats. Of these, the most primitive is the small northern cat (Satanellus hallucatus) - small, pure woody look. Representatives of the genus Dasyurops are the most highly developed. Below we consider in more detail two representatives of marsupial cats - the quoll and the tiger cat.