Today, S. laniarius is found only in Tasmania, although fossil evidence suggests that it once occupied much of the Australian mainland. Stocky with a brownish black pelage, the Tasmanian Devil resembles a small bear. They have a white throat patch and white spots on the sides and backside, and a pinkish snout. The head is massive with well developed jaw muscles.
Molar teeth are heavy and adapted for their role in crushing bone.
The Tasmanian Devil has an unwarranted reputation as a savage beast. In reality, these marsupials take most of their large prey such as wombats, sheep, and rabbits, in the form of carrion. It is an efficient scavenger, eating even bones and fur. Other food items, such as insects, insect larvae, snakes, and small amounts of vegetative matter, are taken when encountered. The Tasmanian devil is monestrous.