TIGRR Lab

There is increasing interest in use of marsupial models in research, for use in next-generation conservation by improving fitness through genetic modification, and in de-extinction efforts. Specifically this includes dasyurid marsupials such as the Thylacine, Tasmanian devil, quolls and the small rodent-like dunnarts. Technologies for generating genetically modified Australian marsupials remains to be established.

1 INTRODUCTION Fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) are a small, carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, order Dasyuromorphia. This species is nocturnal and is found in a range of habitats in the wild, which are widespread across Australia.1 Captive breeding colonies of fat-tailed dunnarts have been established across Australia since the 1960s,2-4 and some of these have been actively running since then.

1 INTRODUCTION Mammals are a highly diverse and successful lineage of vertebrates, with over 6400 extant species across three clades—the Prototheria, Metatheria, and Eutheria, also known as monotremes, marsupials and placentals, respectively. Despite sharing defining mammalian characteristics, each clade has evolved their own distinct reproductive strategies and modes of development, producing unique patterns of development.