Pronghorn skull

Dang, Gordon beat me to it! That is an unmistakable pronghorn skull! I have one at home I will post to the osteology mission for you to compare too. Please consider adding this great spotting to the Identifying Animals To Osteology Mission too! http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8475...

This could go in the Identifying Animals Through Osteology mission at http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8475...

This is a pronhorn antelope skull. Notice the teeth in the second photo; it's a herbivore. But the giveaway is in the final two photographs. Pronghorns are a curious animal. They have horns that resemble antlers in the sense that there is the "prong" that branches off the main beam. Also part of the horn, the outer sheath is shed each year, which somewhat resembles an antler. However, the core of the horn is really a bone and isn't shed, which is a characteristic of a horn. In short, what we are seeing in those last two photos are the cores of the horns; the sheaths are no where to be seen. Fascinating animal.....