Theropods Down Under: Revisions of the Australian theropod fauna and the earliest known megaraptorids

Theropoda is a group of globally distributed dinosaurs that includes all strictly carnivorous dinosaurs and their only living relatives, the birds. The Australian fossil record of non-avian theropods mostly comprises isolated specimens that shed some light on diversity and biogeography. The dominant group in the Australian Cretaceous (~143–66 million years ago) were the megaraptorids, which are characterised by their elongate forelimbs and sickle-like hand claws. In this thesis, I examine the morphology, systematics, and biogeography of Australian Cretaceous theropods. To achieve this goal, I describe and revise several theropod fossil specimens, and analyse their evolutionary relationships and biogeographic patterns.