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Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), also referred to simply as 'the devil', is a carnivorous marsupial now found only in the Australian island state of Tasmania. The Tasmanian Devil is the only extant member of the genus Sarcophilus. more...
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The size of a small dog, but stocky and muscular, the Tasmanian Devil is the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world. It is characterised by its black fur, offensive odour when stressed, extremely loud and disturbing screech, and viciousness when feeding. It is known to both hunt prey and scavenge carrion and although it is usually solitary, it sometimes eats with other devils.
The Tasmanian Devil became extirpated on the Australian mainland about 400 years before European settlement in 1788. Because they were seen as a threat to livestock in Tasmania, devils were hunted until 1941, when they became officially protected. Since the late 1990s devil facial tumour disease has reduced the devil population significantly and now threatens the survival of the species, which may soon be listed as endangered. Programs are currently being undertaken by the Tasmanian government to reduce the impact of the disease.
Taxonomy
Naturalist George Harris wrote the first published description of the Tasmanian Devil in 1807, naming it Didelphis ursina. In 1838 the devil was renamed Dasyurus laniarius by Richard Owen, before being moved to the genus Sarcophilus in 1841 and named Sarcophilus harrisii, or "Harris's meat-lover", by Pierre Boitard. A later revision of the devil's taxonomy, published in 1987, has changed the species name to Sarcophilus laniarius. The name S. harrisii has been retained and S. laniarius relegated to fossil species. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the devil is most closely related to quolls, and more distantly to the extinct Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger).
Physical description
The Tasmanian Devil is the largest surviving carnivorous marsupial in Australia. It has a squat and thick build, with a large head and a short, stubby tail. The devil stores body fat in its tail; an unhealthy devil often has a thin tail. Unusually for a marsupial, its forelegs are slightly longer than its hind legs. Devils can run in bursts at the impressive speed of 13 kilometres per hour (8.1 miles per hour). The fur is usually black, although irregular white patches on the chest and rump are common. Males are usually larger than females, having an average head and body length of 652 mm, with a 258 mm tail, and an average weight of 8 kg. Females have an average head and body length of 570 mm, with a 244 mm tail, and an average weight of 6 kg. The average life expectancy of a Tasmanian Devil in the wild is estimated at six years, although it may live longer in captivity.
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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