Definition

Noun: * A small, ferocious, carnivorous marsupial (Sarcophilus ursinus) having a mostly black coat and a long tail. It is a nocturnal predator, also known as the Tasmanian devil.

Usage Examples

• The ursine dasyure is now found only on the island of Tasmania.
• Researchers are studying the population decline of the ursine dasyure.
• The loud, disturbing screech of the ursine dasyure can be heard at night.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in formal, zoological, or scientific contexts. In common language, the animal is almost exclusively referred to by its more popular name.
• It can be used attributively (like an adjective) in compound nouns, e.g., "ursine dasyure conservation efforts."

Variants and Related Words

• Tasmanian devil: The common name for the .
• Sarcophilus ursinus: The biological (Latin) genus and species name.
• Marsupial: The broader biological order to which it belongs (mammals that carry their young in a pouch).
• Dasyurid: A member of the family Dasyuridae, which includes the and other carnivorous marsupials like quolls and the Tasmanian tiger.

Synonyms

• Tasmanian devil

Different Meanings

• This term has only one specific zoological meaning and does not have other common definitions.

Noun

1. small ferocious carnivorous marsupial having a mostly black coat and long tail