Understanding how anatomy evolves is one of the most powerful ways to understand biodiversity.

The Morphology and Evolution research programme, led by Associate Professor Natalie Warburton, investigates how animals function, how anatomical diversity evolves, and how extinct species can be reconstructed from the evidence preserved in living species, museum collections and fossils. Our research combines comparative anatomy, functional morphology, biomechanics, digital imaging, morphometrics, palaeontology and evolutionary biology.

Much of our work focuses on Australian mammals, particularly marsupials and monotremes, but our interests extend across vertebrate biodiversity. By integrating traditional anatomical approaches with modern digital imaging technologies, we aim to answer questions ranging from how animals move and feed to how evolutionary history has shaped the remarkable diversity of life in Australia and beyond.

See wWEB blogs on this topic

Comparative Anatomy and Functional Morphology

Anatomical structures provide a direct link between evolutionary history and biological function. By comparing muscles, bones, joints and soft tissues across species, we can better understand how different animals solve similar ecological challenges.

Our research examines:

• Musculoskeletal anatomy of living mammals
• Functional adaptations for locomotion, feeding and digging
• Evolution of skeletal and muscular systems
• Relationships between bone shape and soft tissue anatomy
• Anatomical variation within and between species

Current projects include large-scale comparative studies of marsupial limb musculature, investigations of feeding adaptations in mammals, and the development of digital anatomical resources that support both research and teaching.

Selected examples:

• Covariation between forelimb muscle anatomy and bone shape in a scratch-digging marsupial
• Comparative jaw muscle anatomy in marsupials such as numbats
• Functional morphology of herbivorous mammal feeding systems
• Evolutionary relationships between form, function and ecology, including carnivorous marsupial skulls, invasive species fox skulls, growth in snake skulls

Marsupial Evolution and Diversity

Marsupials dominate the mammalian fauna of Australia and much of the Pacific region. Over millions of years they have evolved an extraordinary diversity of forms, ranging from tiny nectar-feeding possums to large herbivores, specialised carnivores and powerful diggers.

Our research explores how anatomy reflects the adaptive radiation of marsupials and how evolutionary constraints influence the solutions available to different lineages.

Current areas of interest include:

• Evolution of locomotor systems
• Comparative anatomy of limbs and girdles
• Fossorial adaptations in digging species
• Cranial and dental evolution
• Ecological drivers of morphological diversity
• Convergent evolution between marsupial and placental mammals

By documenting anatomical diversity across living species, we build a framework for interpreting the evolutionary history of both extant and extinct marsupials.

Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution

Flight initation distance (FID) and vigilance has been used by many researchers to explore how organisms assess risk and there are many papers out there attesting to the value of this simple metric. We have now produced several papers on escape behaviour in animals ranging from tortoises to frogs, birds, mammals, tadpoles and grasshoppers.

An extreme way of avoiding being dinner is to sacrifice part of your body to escape predation: many taxa will voluntarily drop an appendage when caught or threatened by a predator, a process called ‘autotomy’ (self-cutting), often along a breakage plane to aid rapid shedding of the leg, tail, antenna etc. Autotomy has fascinated us as, although the benefit (survival) seems huge, there are also costs. Losing a leg can make you slower; losing a tail can rob you of fat stores, or alter your locomotion.

• Dr Natasha Tay quantified the escape behaviour of eight CWR marsupial taxa (three quadrupedal bandicoots and five bipedal macropods) to determine if differences in how they escape from predators indicate their ability to respond appropriately and effectively to introduced predators.

• New Guinean bandicoots – using skulls, teeth and digestive anatomy to reconstruct the ecological niches occupied by poorly known species across New Guinea and surrounding islands.

• Keeping an ear out: size relationship of the tympanic bullae and pinnae in bandicoots and bilbies (Marsupialia: Peramelemorphia)

Reproductive Biology and Sexual Selection

Reproduction is one of the most powerful drivers of evolutionary change. While studies of sexual selection often focus on obvious traits such as horns, antlers, crests or elaborate displays, many of the most important reproductive adaptations occur out of sight. Anatomical structures associated with mating, sperm competition and reproductive behaviour can evolve rapidly, providing unique insights into how selection shapes biological diversity.

Our research examines the evolutionary relationships between reproductive anatomy, mating systems, sexual selection and reproductive success across a diverse range of vertebrates, with a particular focus on Australian mammals.

Areas of interest include:

• Comparative reproductive anatomy, for example muscles of the kangaroo penis
• Evolution of reproductive structures
• Sexual dimorphism and weaponry, including dasyurid marsupials
• Sperm competition and post-copulatory sexual selection
• Relationships between reproductive investment and morphology
• Evolutionary trade-offs between reproduction and other biological functions
• The links between behaviour, ecology and reproductive success

By integrating anatomy, morphometrics, behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology, we seek to understand how reproductive pressures influence the evolution of both conspicuous and hidden anatomical traits.

Selected examples include:

• Comparative studies of reproductive anatomy in marsupials, revealing both shared mammalian patterns and uniquely marsupial adaptations.
• Investigations of sexual dimorphism in kangaroos, demonstrating how male forelimb musculature reflects intense competition for access to mates.
• Research exploring trade-offs between muscularity and sperm performance, providing evidence that resources allocated to pre-copulatory competition may influence post-copulatory reproductive traits.
• Anatomical studies of reproductive structures that provide new perspectives on the evolution of mammalian reproductive systems and the diversity of reproductive strategies.

These projects highlight the importance of looking beyond traditional measures of sexual selection and considering the full range of anatomical, physiological and behavioural traits that contribute to reproductive success.

Fossil Mammals and Evolutionary History

Fossils provide essential evidence for understanding how modern biodiversity evolved.

Our research integrates fossil material with comparative anatomical studies of living species to reconstruct the biology, behaviour and evolutionary relationships of extinct mammals.

Projects include:

• Functional reconstruction of extinct marsupials – Congruus kitchenerii semi arboreal kangaroo, Wakaleo
• Evolution of giant kangaroos and tree-kangaroos
• Evolutionary responses to environmental change
• Linking fossil and modern anatomical datasets
• Documenting skeletal anatomy for comparative studies, including Thylacine

By combining detailed anatomical observations with modern analytical approaches, we can examine how evolutionary innovations emerged and how extinct species interacted with past ecosystems.

Monotreme Biology and Evolution

Monotremes occupy a unique position in mammalian evolution and retain anatomical features that provide important insights into the origins of mammals.

Our research focuses on both living and extinct monotremes, particularly echidnas, examining:

• Skeletal morphology
• Functional anatomy
• Growth and ageing
• Evolutionary relationships
• Patterns of variation within and between species

We are developing anatomical datasets that will support future studies of monotreme evolution, conservation and functional biology while helping to resolve long-standing questions about the diversity of extinct Australian mammals.

Digital Anatomy, Imaging and Morphometrics

Advances in imaging technology are transforming the study of anatomy.

Our research uses a range of digital approaches including:

• Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)
• Contrast-enhanced soft tissue imaging
• Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction
• Geometric morphometrics
• Digital specimen repositories
• Computational visualisation and analysis

These techniques allow us to investigate anatomy in unprecedented detail while preserving specimens and making anatomical data available to researchers worldwide.

One current focus is the creation of digital anatomical libraries that combine imaging and traditional dissection to provide comprehensive reference datasets for comparative and evolutionary studies.

Student Research Opportunities

We welcome enquiries from Honours, Masters and PhD students interested in:

• Comparative anatomy
• Functional morphology
• Evolutionary biology
• Marsupial and monotreme diversity
• Fossil mammals
• Micro-CT imaging
• Geometric morphometrics
• Biodiversity collections
• Science communication and outreach

Projects may involve museum collections, field-based research, anatomical dissection, digital imaging, computational analysis or interdisciplinary collaborations.

Outreach and Engagement

Research in anatomy and evolution provides powerful opportunities to engage the public with science.

Our team contributes to public lectures, media engagement, museum collaborations, teacher professional development, educational resources, science communication initiatives and community outreach activities. Through these activities we aim to make evolutionary biology and comparative anatomy accessible to diverse audiences while inspiring future generations of scientists.

See wWEB blogs on this topic

or contact Associate Professor Natalie Warburton about research projects in these areas.