African Lion (Panthera leo) Felidae

The African Lion skull and dental apparatus represent the apex of carnivore specialization. Immense canines easily crush wind pipes and sever spinal cords and sharp posterior teeth act like blades in their ability to shear flesh. The largest blades are posteriorly placed in proximity to the joint and musculature for maximum application of force. The lion is a member of the family Felidae; members of this family share both genetic and anatomical features including common skull morphology, similar dental anatomy and retractable claws. The cheetah is classified in the cat family but it is the only member of the cat family that does not have retractable claws. The genus name Panthera is Latin for leopard and leo is Latin and means lion.

Lateral View African Lion Skull
Purposefully engineered, the Male African Lion skull is an immense, heavy, and impenetrable architectural wonder and natural sculpture. The entire skull is designed to house and stabilize powerful muscles that control one of the most deadly and effectual dentitions on earth.
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Lateral View African Lion Skull
An immense sagittal crest, massive zygomatic arches and enormous supraoccipital crest development are characteristics of this super predator's skull.
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Lateral View African Lion Mandible
Massively built with enormous canines and posterior teeth (carnassials) like the blades of a tree saw, lions are capable of tearing through heavy hide and rapid bone fleshing. The large concavity on the posterior of the mandible and the tall coronoid processes provide attachment surface area for the masseter and temporalis muscles respectively.
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Lateral View African Lion Posterior Mandibular Teeth
The carnassial teeth are shaped like blades and designed for slicing and shearing meat.
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Naturally Fractured Mandibular Canine African Lion Skull
The fractured mandibular canine of a wild African Lion is a testament to a physically demanding life. Although females generally hunt, males commonly use their brute strength and weight to help immobilize and dispatch large prey (i.e. Cape Buffalo). This animal was most likely kicked or possibly fractured the canine while struggling to separate the vertebrae of large prey. Male African Lions have a life expectancy of only 12 years as compared to 19 years for females. Their lives typically end abruptly and violently.
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Ventral View African Lion Skull
The posterior teeth are laterally compressed and sharp not unlike shark teeth. The canines are enormous, recurved and flattened; the lion used them to separate cervical vertebrae and crush wind pipes thus efficiently incapacitating prey. Note that the zygomatic arches are heavy and bowed out to accommodate the massive jaw muscles.
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Posterior View African Lion Skull
Note the flaring zygomatic arches, crests, and ridges designed to accommodate muscles and increase muscle origin and insertion surface area for maximum stability and strength.
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