Defining the evolution of apex arthropod predators. Predation has been a central driver of evolution for more than 500 million years. Predatory arthropods, like crabs and scorpions, induce changes in

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Defining the evolution of apex arthropod predators. Predation has been a central driver of evolution for more than 500 million years. Predatory arthropods, like crabs and scorpions, induce changes in their prey, such as increased speed, camouflage, and reinforced body parts. Concurrently, predators enhance their own ability to locate, pursue, and subdue prey. The aim of this project is to test whether the predatory arthropods converge upon functionally comparable adaptations, across lineages and over deep time, and the ecological ramifications of these structures. Expected outcomes and benefits include an innovative foundation for reconstructing ecologies of living and extinct Australian arthropods and answering long-standing questions regarding predator/prey co-evolution.. Scheme: Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Field: 3103 - Ecology. Lead: Dr Russell Bicknell