Dasyure (Dasyurus Geoff), a genus of Australian marsupials, including the common da-syure and the Tasmanian or native devil. The latter (D. ursinus), called also ursine opossum, fairly earns its title from its great ferocity, even when well treated in captivity. Its fierceness makes it more than a match for the most powerful dog. Its general color is black, with a conspicuous white band across the breast, and here and there white spots; the body is short, the limbs thick, head short and thick, with blunt muzzle and wide mouth; hind feet plantigrade, giving it the gait of a small bear; the length of the body is about 21 in., the tail being 7 more, and thickly covered with hair. The teeth are: incisors 8/6f, canines 1/1-1/1, molars 6/6-6/6 = 42. It is very voracious, and was formerly destructive to the poultry of the settlers; its flesh was frequently eaten, having somewhat the taste of veal. They are now rarely seen except in the unexplored forests, where they dwell in burrows made by their powerful claws; they have the large and sensitive eyes characteristic of nocturnal animals. The common dasyure (D. viverrinus) is smaller, far less savage, and brown with numerous white spots; tail long but not prehensile.

Other species are described in Australia and the neighboring islands; they are all voracious, feeding on small animals, fish, mollusks, and even carrion. The common and smaller species live in trees, while the ursine dasyure burrows in the ground.

Common Dasyure (Dasyurus viverrinus).