title: A description of the dorsal thalamus of the marsupial native cat, Dasyurus viverrinus (Dasyuridae).
abstract: The nuclear architecture of the dorsal thalamus in the marsupial native cat, Dasyurus viverrinus, is described. The nine midline and intralaminar nuclei comprise a large and prominent part of the thalamus. The lateroposterior nucleus is clearly divided into medial and lateral divisions. A ventroanterior nucleus is distinguished from the ventrolateral nucleus, and the ventroposterior complex is divided into cytoarchitecturally distinctive medial and lateral divisions. There is a large posterior nucleus. The medial geniculate nucleus displays an external or principal division and an internal division. The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus has three cell laminae. Though the dasyurus thalamus presents features that are intermediate between those displayed by the American opossum, Didelphis virginiana, and the Australian brush-tailed possum, Trichosurus vulpecula, overall the two Australian forms resemble each other more closely than either resembles the American from.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*