Mulgaras are the two small rat-sized species in the genus Dasycercus. They are marsupial carnivores, closely related to the Tasmanian devil and the quolls, that live in deserts and spinifex grasslands of arid Australia. They are nocturnal, but occasionally "sunbathe" in the entrance of the burrow in which they dwell. Their kidneys are highly developed to excrete extremely concentrated urine to preserve water, as the animals rarely drink. They feed mostly on insects, but also eat reptiles and small mammals. They are seasonal breeders and breed from June to September. The pouch comprises two lateral folds of skin.

Recent research has shown two distinct species, which are very similar. The brush-tailed mulgara (D. blythi, previously classified as D.cristicauda), has an uncrested tail, two upper premolars, and six nipples. The crest-tailed mulgara (previously D. hillieri, but now reclassified as D. cristicauda) has a crested tail, three upper premolars, and eight nipples.

The generic name Dasycercus means "hairy tail".