Hanging on and digging deep: comparative forelimb myology of the koala (<i>Phascolarctos cinereus</i>) and common wombat (<i>Vombatus ursinus</i>)

Abstract Establishing relationships between soft tissues and bones in living species can inform our understanding of functional adaptations their extinct kin the absence direct data on habitual behaviours. The koala wombats are only surviving vombatiform suborder, represent extant phylogenetic bracket for dozens fossil marsupial across nine families. Here we present first quantitative architectural forelimb myology common wombat, alongside redescriptions based physical digital dissections. Despite obvious contrasts how forelimbs used arboreal (koala) fossorial (wombat) contexts, overall they showed minor differences qualitative measures myology. When properties antagonistic pairs muscle groups crossing each joint were compared, greatest seen muscles elbow, where wombat exhibited greater relative emphasis forceful elbow extension than koala, indicative digging. Our findings reinforce importance as a useful system to explore when seeking discrimination patterns use species.