Mammals Lab 7: Skulls of Carnivora & Artiodactyla

Coyote

Canis latrans

• elongate rostrum // canines enlarged // well-developed carnassials

• postorbital process thickened convex dorsally

• ventral border of dentary w/o step

Gray Wolf

Canis lupus - larger than coyote

• elongate rostrum // canines enlarged // well-developed carnassials

• postorbital process thickened convex dorsally

• ventral border of dentary w/o step

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

• long rostrum

• temporal ridge converged to form “v”

Kit Fox

Vulpes macrotis

• temp ridge- not a v or u

• long rostrum

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

• temp ridge converges to form “u”

• long rostrum

Black bear

Ursus americanus

• no well-developed carnassial pair (more cat-like skull)

• molars- flat, broad crown

• BIG

Brown Bear

Ursus arctos

• HUGE skull

Polar bear

Ursus maritimus

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

• almost no carnassials

• molars: broad, canines- round

• skull rounded on upper surface

Ringtail

Bassariscus astutus

• long, narrow rostrum

• BIG orbits

River Otter

Lontra canadensis

• large braincase

• flat skull

Sea Otter

Enhydra lutris

• larger sagital crest

• flat face

Fisher

Pekonia pennanti

1.     palate extends beyond last molar

2.     total length of skull greater than 85 mm

3.     auditory bullae not noticeably inflated

5.     braincase elongated

Striped skunk

Mephitis mephitis

• pallet ends at back teeth

Long-tailed weasel

Mustela frenata

small skull

large braincase

1.      palate extends beyond last molar 

4.      postorbital processes pointed 

Mink

Neovision vision

defined interparietal “T” w/ sagital crest

Big brain case

smaller than badger

Badger

Taxidea taxus

1.    triangular braincase 

2.      prominent sagittal crest and lambdoidal crest

5.      moderately inflated auditory bullae 

T- shaped sagital crest- parietal

Wolverine

Gulo gulo

• short rostrum

• large sagital crest

• larger than most

Mountain lion

puma concolor

• short rostrum

• larger than bobcat

1.      30 teeth (3/3, 1/1, 3/2, 1/1) 

2.      4 upper cheek teeth each side       

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

1.      28 teeth (3/3, 1/1, 2/2, 1/1) 

2.      3 upper cheek teeth each side 

Mule deer

Odocoileus hemionus

• main beam splits into 2 main branches

• DEEP lacrimal bone - know for practical (female)

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

• single main antler w/ branches

• shallow lacrimal bone

Caribou

Rangifer tarandus

• velvet antlers

Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

• Big orbit

• 2 prongs- branch

Bison

bison bison

Mountain Goat

Oreamnos americanus

• no branching on horns

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

• HUGE horns