Carp skull: comparative anatomy

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:44 pm

Whilst out for a walk yesterday I found these two skulls within a few feet of each other on the bank of a large lake. I'm not an expert on skulls but I think one is that of a muntjac deer and the other is of a large carp! The lake is known to hold carp to over 50lb!

Can anyone judge just by the skull size how big this carp might have been when alive?

I'll now sterilise them before adding to my schools skull collection! It's just over 6" long and 4" wide so the actual head would have been bigger.

Shaun Harrison · Post by **Shaun Harrison** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:40 pm

Are you sure that's a carp skull. It doesn't look like the ones I have seen. They usually look pretty intact just like a normal carp's head but without the flesh. Unfortunately I have only ever photographed the teeth, never the skull.

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:49 pm

Looks like you have the bottom jaw that I 'm missing!

It's definitely from a fish and one can see the small eye sockets so it must be from a fish! And I know it's not from a pike because I have a pike skull! If it's not from a carp then it may be from a big bream and this lake does contain bigging!

Carp Artist · Post by **Carp Artist** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:32 pm

Top view of a common carp skull.
I think you have some of the upper bones. No idea of the size.

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 7:49 pm

Thanks.

Carp Artist · Post by **Carp Artist** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 8:02 pm

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/obl ... eleton.jpg

This link might help Santiago .

Vole · Post by **Vole** » Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:28 pm

I wonder if those "eye sockets" aren't in fact hip sockets of some big bird - a goose, perhaps?

Luga00 · Post by **Luga00** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 9:36 am

Fairly certain that is a pelvic bone. Probably from said deer.

Shaun Harrison · Post by **Shaun Harrison** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 9:55 am

Carp Artist wrote:http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/obl ... eleton.jpg

This link might help Santiago .

That is how the carp skeletons have looked when I have seen them (unfortunately I have seen a few over the years) and when broken up and detached the head has usually still looked like a carp head as I said above. Also, there is usually the evidence of old carp scales around the area too as they seem to not rot down (obviously not if it was a leather though).Thanks for the link CA.

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:09 pm

I think I have the answer here, as Luga said its the pelvic bone of the muntjac as can be seen to the right of the skull in this image

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Carp skull: comparative anatomy

Carp skull: comparative anatomy

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