Fig. 1

Craniofacial diversity of marsupials and convergenceMarsupials possess a diverse range of morphologies and craniofacial diversity. a Fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) and b Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) from the order Dasyuromorphia. c Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), d koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) and e brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) from the order Diprotodontia f. Eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) from the order Peramelemorphia. g Monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides) from the order Microbiotheria, and h Virginian opossum (Didelphis virginiana) from the order Didelphimorphia. Panels I-L marsupials and placentals that display striking craniofacial convergence. Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) i order Dasyuromorphia, and placental dingo (Canis lupus dingo) k; and the marsupial mole (Notoryctes typhlops) (J), order Notoryctemorphia and placental golden mole (Chrysochloris sp.) l. All images have been reproduced with permission (Additional file 4)(Additional file 1: Table S1 and Additional file 4: Table S4). m Box plot showing the range of marsupial facial length ratios compared with placentals [24] and Carnivora [14]. Boxes indicate the upper and lower quartiles, horizontal line inside indicates the median value. The horizontal lines indicate the extremes of the distribution with outliers shown as points