Head and body length of S. murina is 70-120 mm and tail length is from 55-130 mm. Weights average from 25-40.8 g. for males and 16.5-25.4 for females. The pelage is soft, fine and dense being buffy to grayish with white or grayish white underparts. The slender feet have striated or granulated pads, except for the hind part of the soles which lack pads.

S. murina is found in moist forest or savannah where it digs burrows or constrcuts nests of grasses and leaves in hollow logs, under bushes and in stumps. Dunnarts are mainly terrestrial and nocturnal. During periods of low food supply, S. murina has been known to enter a state of torpor.

The diet consists primarily of insects, but small vertebrates such as lizards and mice are also taken.

Gestation is between 13 and 16 days and up to 8 young are produced in a single litter.

S. murina is found in SW Western Australia, SE South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and E Queensland.

The brain weight is .44078 g (includes L. Trg.). The brain meaurements are: Length AP left 8.3 mm; Length AP right 8.1 mm; Bitemporal width 10.1 mm; Temporal height left 6.8 mm; Temporal height right 6.6 mm.