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

  • Image may contain Wood Antler Bronze Animal Wildlife Elephant and Mammal
    Photo: © David Liittschwager
    01

    Warthog

    The warthog uses its tusks mostly for digging and defense.
  • Image may contain Plant
    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.
  • Image may contain Jaw
    Photo: Kathryn Whitney/California Academy of Sciences
    03

    Hornbill

    The helmeted hornbill's skull is fittingly strange for such a strange bird.
  • Large eyes help the slow loris find a meal at night.
    Photo: © David Liittschwager
    04

    Slow Loris

    Large eyes help the slow loris find a meal at night.
  • Image may contain Head
    Photo: © David Liittschwager
    05

    Red Piranha

    The powerful jaws of a red piranha can exert a bite force 35 times its body weight.
  • Image may contain Antler
    Photo: Kathryn Whitney/California Academy of Sciences
    06

    Water Buffalo

    Eyes looking out to the sides help the water buffalo watch for predators.
  • The 218pound skull of an African elephant greets visitors to the exhibit.
    Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
    07

    20140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-008edit

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

    20140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-208edit

    Tigers kill by breaking the spine of their prey with a bite to the neck.
  • Image may contain Animal Dog Canine Mammal and Pet
    Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
    09

    20140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-014edit

    The vagrant shrew has one of the smallest skulls in the exhibit.
  • Image may contain Bird Animal and Food
    Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
    10

    20140508-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.
  • My what big teeth the hippopotamus has.
    Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
    11

    20140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-091edit

    My, what big teeth the hippopotamus has.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Animal and Fish
    Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
    12

    20140508-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.
  • Image may contain Ivory Animal Dog Mammal Canine Pet and Jaw
    Photo: Ariel Zambelich/WIRED
    13

    20140508-ACADEMY-SCIENCES-SKULLS-175edit

    The pug, bottom left, has a compressed skull compared to other dogs.
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