Gallery: The Crazy Diversity of Animal Skulls, From Hippos to Hummingbirds
Photo: © David Liittschwager01Warthog
The warthog uses its tusks mostly for digging and defense.
Photo: © David Liittschwager02Walrus
Walrus tusks are really just enlarged canine teeth, good for fighting for mates or dragging its bulk out of the water and up on to the ice.
Photo: Kathryn Whitney/California Academy of Sciences03Hornbill
The helmeted hornbill's skull is fittingly strange for such a strange bird.
Photo: © David Liittschwager04Slow Loris
Large eyes help the slow loris find a meal at night.
Photo: © David Liittschwager05Red Piranha
The powerful jaws of a red piranha can exert a bite force 35 times its body weight.
Photo: Kathryn Whitney/California Academy of Sciences06Water Buffalo
Eyes looking out to the sides help the water buffalo watch for predators.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED0720140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-008edit
The 218-pound skull of an African elephant greets visitors to the exhibit.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED0820140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-208edit
Tigers kill by breaking the spine of their prey with a bite to the neck.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED0920140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-014edit
The vagrant shrew has one of the smallest skulls in the exhibit.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED1020140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-065edit
The Ganges river dolphin uses a cone-like structure on the front of its skull to navigate murky waters by echolocation.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED1120140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-091edit
My, what big teeth the hippopotamus has.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED1220140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-148edit
Convergent evolution at work: the gharial, a type of crocodile; an Amazon river dolphin; and the longnose gar, a fish (from top to bottom) all have long snouts and lots of teeth for catching slippery fish.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED1320140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-175edit
The pug, bottom left, has a compressed skull compared to other dogs.
