Breaking Down the Devil

My PhD is a multimodal deep dive into the anatomy of Australia's large carnivorous marsupials (Order Dasyuromorphia, Family Dasyuridae), specifically the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), and the Eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus). By applying a combination of techniques like dissection and morphometry, I am creating the first modern description of the forelimb musculature of these species. I am documenting my work using state-of the art imaging techniques like surface scanning to produce three-dimensional records of these descriptions. By applying diffusible iodine contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT) and synchrotron-based CT imaging, I am producing high-resolution datasets that preserve the internal soft and hard tissue anatomy of these species in 3D. Ultimately, by analysing extant and fossil samples of Sarcophilus, I am addressing knowledge gaps in their basic biology and evolutionary history from a functional point of view. My work lies at the intersection of vertebrate anatomy, morphometry, biomechanics, and palaeontogy.