{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,11]],"date-time":"2026-06-11T14:29:47Z","timestamp":1781188187778,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":73,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,4]],"date-time":"2024-03-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1709510400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":3,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Morphology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Among marsupials, the endangered numbat (\n                    <jats:italic>Myrmecobius fasciatus<\/jats:italic>\n                    ) is the only obligate myrmecophage with a diet comprised strictly of termites. Like many other specialised myrmecophagous mammals, numbats have a gracile and highly specialised skull morphology with an elongated rostrum and small braincase. Myrmecobiidae is one of four taxonomic families within the Australasian marsupial order Dasyuromorphia, and to date, the muscular anatomy of any member of this group is relatively poorly known. We utilised microdissection and contrast\u2010enhanced microcomputed tomography scanning to provide the first comprehensive qualitative and quantitative descriptions of jaw muscle anatomy in numbats and quolls (\n                    <jats:italic>Dasuyrus<\/jats:italic>\n                    species). The arrangement of the jaw muscles across these species was conservative, both in gross anatomy and muscle proportions, corresponding to a \u2018generalised\u2019 mammalian pattern. In contrast to\n                    <jats:italic>Dasyurus<\/jats:italic>\n                    , the jaw muscles of the numbat were greatly reduced. Many aspects of the muscle anatomy of the numbat were similar to patterns reported in other myrmecophagous species, particularly a greatly reduced temporalis muscle. Unusually, the digastric muscle in the numbat was comprised of a single, large anterior belly while the posterior belly was absent. We propose that the enlarged anterior belly of the digastric may be linked to jaw stabilisation and coordination of tongue movements during feeding. The lateral insertion and fascial connection of the digastric to the tongue in numbats may also aid in distributing stress evenly across the jaw and minimise muscle fatigue. The muscle descriptions and three\u2010dimensional models provided in this study will facilitate further analysis of musculoskeletal adaptation and evolution within the Dasyuromorphia.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/jmor.21684","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,5]],"date-time":"2024-03-05T01:29:30Z","timestamp":1709602170000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Comparative three\u2010dimensional jaw muscle anatomy of marsupial carnivores (\n                    <i>Dasyurus<\/i>\n                    spp.) and the termite\u2010eating numbat (\n                    <i>Myrmecobius fasciatus<\/i>\n                    )"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"285","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4257-8049","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vanessa J.","family":"Thomas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5140-457X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jeremy","family":"Shaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis The University of Western Australia Perth Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8234-7646","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natasha","family":"Tay","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Research Institute Murdoch University Murdoch Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8498-3053","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natalie M.","family":"Warburton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch Australia"},{"name":"Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Harry Butler Research Institute Murdoch University Murdoch Australia"},{"name":"Western Australian Museum Welshpool Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_7_2_1","first-page":"18","article-title":"The case for the Thylacomyidae and Myrmecobiidae, Gill, 1872, or why are marsupial families so extended?","volume":"102","author":"Archer M.","year":"1977","journal-title":"Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1071\/ZO9630488"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jez.1853"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_5_1","first-page":"508","article-title":"Comparative biologic\u2010anatomical researches on mastication in some mammals. 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