Below is the underside.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Found a Skull - A Rabbit?
We found this skull, which we at first thought to be a bird's, on a stone beach at Lake Byllesby on Saturday. It has what appears from the side to be a yellow, extremely hooked beak something like that of a raptor.
But when seen from the front, it doesn't look like a beak, it looks like two curved front teeth. From searching Google images of "rabbit skull," I think that's what we might have, but I am very open to other more expert opinions.
Below is the underside.
Below is the underside. 
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Rabbits have two sets of incisors on the upper jaw and one set on the lower. The two big incisors on the top front have a second small set behind them. I'm fairly certain this is unique to rabbits.
Thanks for the insights!
This is a muskrat skull (Ondatra zibethicus). Rabbits dont have pigmented incisor teeth, and (as Dan says) they have 4 upper incisors instead of 2. Most diagnostic are the molar teeth, however. Muskrats like their close relatives, voles and lemmings, have molars with the triangular pattern shown here.
Thank you, Bryan. Sorry for the delay in seeing your comment. I appreciate your expertise!
Post a Comment