Quoll

The quoll (genus Dasyurus) is a carnivorous marsupial native to mainland Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. It is primarily nocturnal and spends most of the day in its den. There are six species of quoll; four are found in Australia and two in New Guinea. Another two species are known from fossil remains in Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits in Queensland. Genetic evidence indicates that the quoll evolved around 15 million years ago in the Miocene, and that the ancestors of the six species had all diverged by around 4 million years ago. The quoll species vary in weight and size, from 300 grams (11 oz) to 7 kilograms (15 lb). They have brown or black fur and a pink nose. They are largely solitary but come together for a few social interactions such as mating which occurs during the winter season. A female gives birth to up to 18 pups, of which only 6 survive to suckle on her teats.