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Skull ID?

PostPosted: Sun 02 Jun, 2019 11:55 am
by Eremophila
Came across two of these on the KIWT, haven’t been able to ID them as yet.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Sun 02 Jun, 2019 12:30 pm
by michael_p
Those two protruding bones indicate the most likely option is a Goat.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Thu 06 Jun, 2019 10:08 pm
by Redtail
Probably the local tammar wallaby.

The protruding bones are most likely where the jugal bones have become separated from the squamosal bones in what I think is the zygomatic arch?

Your local zoo or naturalists would have a better idea.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Thu 06 Jun, 2019 10:48 pm
by Eremophila
Not the wallaby either. The lack of eye sockets is interesting.
I’m going to contact Parks SA and see what they can come up with.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Thu 06 Jun, 2019 11:24 pm
by Redtail
I'm pretty sure the thumb and index finger are holding it by what would be the eye sockets if the zygomatic arch was intact.
My money's on at least a macropod of some sort.

It'll be interesting to hear ParksSA's opinion. Keep us posted!

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Thu 06 Jun, 2019 11:25 pm
by Bubbalouie
Eremophila wrote:Not the wallaby either. The lack of eye sockets is interesting.
I’m going to contact Parks SA and see what they can come up with.
It looks like the thumb and forefinger in the second picture are in the eye sockets. I'd hazard a guess that the lower and front portions of the skull have been broken off at some point.... That said I know basically nothing about anatomy.

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Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Fri 07 Jun, 2019 11:05 am
by Eremophila
Bubbalouie wrote:It looks like the thumb and forefinger in the second picture are in the eye sockets. I'd hazard a guess that the lower and front portions of the skull have been broken off at some point.... That said I know basically nothing about anatomy.
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I see what you mean, although we did find two and they were identical in shape.
Here are the pix from the first one - unfortunately they are quite blurred as it was too windy to hold anything still! This one had kind of joints in the bone which looked like eyes.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Fri 07 Jun, 2019 7:06 pm
by Bubbalouie
Identical in shape is pretty weird if it's just a random banged up wallaby skull (for a lay person like me anyway).

Here's a wallaby skull picture:

https://svpow.com/2014/10/15/heres-that ... u-ordered/

There are sutures (?) along the snout so I could see how it might break over time there, the eye sockets are quite a bit harder to explain.

Interestingly the facial bone and cranial bone looks different in the picture above.

Very curious to see what P&W say, and if it is a wallaby why there would be too that are banged up in the same way.

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Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Fri 07 Jun, 2019 8:21 pm
by Redtail
Sutures is correct.
If you look at a few photos, you'll see there's one across the snout.
And there's also one where the jugal and squarmosal bones join to form the "cheek" bone.
My guess is it would be quite common for the skull to dry out and separate like that.

Eremophila, may I copy and send the photos to a surgeon mate of mine? He's into these things - amateur tracker and naturalist that he is.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Sat 08 Jun, 2019 9:48 am
by Eremophila
Redtail wrote:Sutures is correct.
If you look at a few photos, you'll see there's one across the snout.
And there's also one where the jugal and squarmosal bones join to form the "cheek" bone.
My guess is it would be quite common for the skull to dry out and separate like that.
Eremophila, may I copy and send the photos to a surgeon mate of mine? He's into these things - amateur tracker and naturalist that he is.


Not a problem RT, would be interested to hear your friend's opinion.

I've sent them off to the SA Museum - they have a Discovery Centre where you can email or take in specimens for identification.
I'm sure they will turn out to be something embarrassingly simple!

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Tue 25 Jun, 2019 8:31 pm
by Eremophila
From the SA Museum:
"Looks like a macropod skull to me, either young western grey or tammar "

From looking at photos online it would appear to be just the very top piece of the skull, with both having broken off in identical fashion.

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Tue 25 Jun, 2019 8:37 pm
by Redtail
Good result!

If you find yourself in the West, drinks are on me. :D

Re: Skull ID?

PostPosted: Tue 25 Jun, 2019 9:09 pm
by Bubbalouie
Was keeping an eye out for this, thanks for the follow up :)