Forelimb Myology of Carnivorous Marsupials (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae): Implications for the Ancestral Body Plan of the Australidelphia

Abstract

Carnivorous marsupials of the family Dasyuridae represent a more generalized anatomical condition of both craniodental and postcranial features in comparison to other groups of Australidelphian marsupials. Plesiomorphic characters include polyprotodont dentition, didactylous (rather than syndactylous) pedal morphology, the retention of clavicles and epipubic bones, and an unossified patelloid. In light of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton, we hypothesized that the muscular anatomy of the Dasyuridae would likely display a range of plesiomorphic traits. We performed gross anatomical dissection on the forelimbs of four species of dasyurid marsupials to produce anatomical descriptions and muscle origin and insertion maps for Dasyurus geoffroii, D. hallucatus, and Phascogale tapoatafa, together with comparative notes for Antechinus flavipes. These new descriptions were then compared with those of other marsupials from the published literature in order to establish the principal patterns in forelimb muscular anatomy. In nearly all aspects of anatomy, we found that the arrangement of the muscular origins and insertions, and the relative degree of separation between muscle bellies among dasyurids, provide a natural starting point from which the anatomies of other Australidelphian marsupial groups can be derived. Anat Rec, 300:1589-1608, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evolutionary and terminological analysis of the flexor digitorum superficialis, interflexorii and palmaris longus muscles in kinkajou (Potos flavus) and crab‐eating racoon (Procyon cancrivorus)

“…The presence of two PL muscles is seen in marsupials of the genus Didelphis (Diogo et al, 2016), while in other marsupials there only is one PL (Warburton & Marchal, 2017); consequently, this confirms that the evolutionary transformations of the PL from a common ancestor is probably a product of homoplasia, as has been suggested by some authors (Jouffroy, 1971;Diogo et al, 2016), since marsupials and placentals share a common ancestor (Upham et al, 2019).…”

“…This agrees with the interpretations by Diogo and Abdala (2010) in non‐primate species. The presence of two PL muscles is seen in marsupials of the genus Didelphis (Diogo et al., 2016), while in other marsupials there only is one PL (Warburton & Marchal, 2017); consequently, this confirms that the evolutionary transformations of the PL from a common ancestor is probably a product of homoplasia, as has been suggested by some authors (Jouffroy, 1971; Diogo et al., 2016), since marsupials and placentals share a common ancestor (Upham et al., 2019). Hence, the PLM is a true FDS in most carnivorans, since has evolved to flex the digits, while in other carnivorans it only generates tension into the palmar fascia and flex carpus, such as in P. flavus , A. fulgens and A. melanoleuca , which are species with high prehensile abilities (Davis, 1964; Fisher et al., 2009; our study).…”

The extraordinary osteology and functional morphology of the limbs in Palorchestidae, a family of strange extinct marsupial giants

“…Osteological, myological and directional terminology follow Illustrated Veterinary Anatomical Nomenclature [58] except when inappropriate for marsupials, where nomenclature follows recent descriptive work by Harvey and Warburton [59], Warburton et al [60] and Warburton and Marchal [61].…”

The fossil record of appendicular muscle evolution in Synapsida on the line to mammals: Part I—Forelimb

“…For therians, focus was directed toward basal taxa with a “generalized” quadrupedal anatomy for both marsupials (ameridelphians, peramelemorphians, dasyuromorphians, phalangeriids, and vombatiforms) and placentals (tupaiids, myrmecophagids, dasypodids, procaviids, and rodents), in an attempt to limit the potential for apomorphies to exert spurious influence on the results. The literature consulted include Murie and Mivart (1865), Coues and Wyman (1872), MacCormick (1887), Romer (1922), Le Gros Clark (1924), Le Gros Clark (1926), Greene (1935), Haines (1939), Rinker (1954), Barbour (1963), George (1977), Taylor (1978), Jenkins and Weijs (1979), Stein (1981), Stein (1986), Carry et al (1993), Warburton et al (2013), Olson et al (2016), Warburton and Marchal (2017), Fahn‐Lai et al (2020), and Richards et al (2023).…”