Skulls, Skeletons, Canines & Claws

[Pckts]

Credit goes to @dinocrocuta from the carnivora forum....


"Here are some pics of a huge polar bear skull that I am currently restoring so that I can make a mold of it (and then casts to sell). The skull scores at 27.5" (17.5 inches long and 10 inches wide) - the biggest polar bear skull in the record books was about 29 3/4".

It is shown with the skull cast of a 500lb South African lion. Even though it is almost a pure carnivore, you still can see that the polar bear still has features of the mostly herbivorous brown bear from which it is believed to have split off from more than 100,000 years ago. The jaws are narrow and the molars blunt, though the width of the skull and bone ridges suggest a formidable bite pressure. "

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

On his assessment about bite pressure, I'm not an expert but I'd think the longer, thinner rostrum of the Polar bear would create a weaker bite force.
The sagittal crest area does look more formidable on the polar bear skull but the zygomatic arch on both looks to be similar width at parity which would mean similar muscle attachments, would it not? Reply