Skull & bones Mallorca (1 Viewer)

[Brian Bullough]

I have puzzled over these bones found in S'Albufera Mallorca last year anyone any ideas, I was thinking Pine Marten.
Cheers
Brian

 

[Farnboro John]

I'd say Coypu:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...f38064bb716480c01dd8fa2a17b37396H0&ajaxhist=0

Anything with incisors like that in the lower jaw is likely to be a rodent. The upper jaw ones threw me for a sec as I thought they were too vertical but you can see the skull and tooth resemblance in the linked picture.

It being in the Albufera marsh is perhaps a clue as well.

John

 

[Brian Bullough]

Cheers John, I thought the top teeth where canine ,which is why I thought Pine Marten . I never thought of Coypu, I should have put in a reference to size in the photo from memory about 60mm

Brian
Edit I checked out that site in the link what a fantastic resource , so professional I thought it was a museum or something , till I read the authors words only 14 yrs old how incredible !!!!

 

[Farnboro John]

Cheers John, I thought the top teeth where canine ,which is why I thought Pine Marten . I never thought of Coypu, I should have put in a reference to size in the photo from memory about 60mm

Brian
Edit I checked out that site in the link what a fantastic resource , so professional I thought it was a museum or something , till I read the authors words only 14 yrs old how incredible !!!!

I think I've seen him on (insert season)watch at some point. A youngster with a proper scientific future.

John

 

[Sangahyando]

Anything with incisors like that in the lower jaw is likely to be a rodent.

And don't forget the huge diastema, lack of canines, and the closely aligned, "rectangular" looking molars.

Though theoretically it's possible that the coypu was killed by a Pine Marten...

 

[honeym]

Hi Brian
Some interesting comments.
However, as far as I am aware, the Coypu has never been recorded in s'Albufera or in the Balearic Islands.
I think the shape of the skull and the pelvic bones show that it is a Brown rat, which does occur in s'Albufera - along with the Black rat.
Best wishes
Martin

 

[Farnboro John]

Hi Brian
Some interesting comments.
However, as far as I am aware, the Coypu has never been recorded in s'Albufera or in the Balearic Islands.
I think the shape of the skull and the pelvic bones show that it is a Brown rat, which does occur in s'Albufera - along with the Black rat.
Best wishes
Martin

Having looked how small 6cm is, I concur - underlines the importance of scale in such cases.... oops.

John