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SKULL
FACT
In the 14th century, Giovanni Boccaccio claimed
he had discovered a mighty Cyclops skull inside a Sicilian cave. This
one-eyed monster may have been nothing more than a docile elephant. The
hole that resembles a central eye in the elephant’s skull is actually
its nasal cavity – it is surrounded by plentiful muscle attachment
space for the animal’s massive trunk.
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SKULL
FACT
All bears are omnivores, but each species
has a unique diet – their teeth tell the story. Polar bears use sharp
canines to rip out chunks of meat. They tend to swallow these chunks without
much chewing, so their molars are reduced in size. Black bears eat much
more vegetation, so their molars have larger, flatter grinding surfaces.
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Q:
How do walruses use their tusks?
DL: With ivory tusks up to three feet long, walruses wield valuable
tools. Using these teeth, they compete for social status, defend against
predators, pull themselves out of the water, stab through ice, and secure
themselves while they sleep.
Dr. Douglas
J. Long
Collections Manager and Acting Department Chairman
Department of Ornithology & Mammalogy
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 Q:
Why do reptilian skulls have two holes behind each eye socket?
PR: These holes, called temporal fossae, provide attachment space
for the bulging jaw muscles reptiles use to snap their mouths shut. They
help scientists distinguish between reptilian and mammalian skulls - mammals
have only one temporal fossa.
Dr. Peter
D. Roopnarine
Assistant Curator and Department Chair
Department of Invertebrate Zoology & Goelogy
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What
is a Skull? |
Structure
& Function | Diversity
| Living
Tissue | Academy
Mission | Skulls
in Culture | Store
©
2002
California Academy of Sciences
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