May 13, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: The Crazy Diversity of Animal Skulls, From Hippos to Hummingbirds

Photo: © David Liittschwager
01
Warthog
The warthog uses its tusks mostly for digging and defense.
Photo: © David Liittschwager
02
Walrus
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 Sciences
03
Hornbill
The helmeted hornbill's skull is fittingly strange for such a strange bird.
Photo: © David Liittschwager
04
Slow Loris
Large eyes help the slow loris find a meal at night.

Photo: © David Liittschwager
05
Red Piranha
The powerful jaws of a red piranha can exert a bite force 35 times its body weight.
Photo: Kathryn Whitney/California Academy of Sciences
06
Water Buffalo
Eyes looking out to the sides help the water buffalo watch for predators.

Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
07
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The 218-pound skull of an African elephant greets visitors to the exhibit.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
08
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Tigers kill by breaking the spine of their prey with a bite to the neck.

Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
09
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The vagrant shrew has one of the smallest skulls in the exhibit.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
10
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The Ganges river dolphin uses a cone-like structure on the front of its skull to navigate murky waters by echolocation.

Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
11
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My, what big teeth the hippopotamus has.
Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
12
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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/WIRED
13
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The pug, bottom left, has a compressed skull compared to other dogs.

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