This week I have a nice skull from the Dead Zoo for you to have a go at identifying:
This specimen came to light as being misidentified when a visiting researcher was taking a look through the collection. We both agreed on what we thought it was, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I suspect that this may be easy for some of you, so as ever, please try to keep your answers cryptic, to give everyone a chance to work out what it is. Have fun!
Zygoma 
Unusually dogged grey tree climber?
Yes, I think so. I’ve heard they climb but I haven’t seen them. We have a pair at least in our woods.
This cranium falls into sort of a grey area, but it won’t make a lyre out of me.
You’re so sighin’ that you are correct. This scenario, Are gen tease us?
I’m guessing carnivora. But, despite the skull size, it’s not a cat.
Hmmm…
A cat sized carnivoran with an elongated snout and no sagittal crest.
Wrong teeth, for a cat methinks.
U are so silvery burnt… ashy
I’m with Palfreyman that it’s a Crnivoran. Dental formula looks doggy. Beyond that… The Dog family (Canada) has several dozen members. Most recent word on how to sub classify them seems to have four “branches.” Three of which have species with English common names containing “fox”. (So it might be better to think of it as the “Fox” family (“Vulpidae”?), with wolves and dogs being on one aberrant branch.)
Most of the hints seem to be suggesting the same species: I’m happy with that suggestion, but would be equally happy with a number of others. For now.
For “Canada,” read “Canidae.” For my opinion of autocorrect, read unprintable.
Umm…
I tried “{taxon name} skull” on my browser and found:
“while the skull can be easily distinguished from all other North American canids by its widely separated temporal ridges that form a ‘U’-shape.”
No guarantee that People’s specimen is from North America, but I see why Chris and Kate and James and Joe are so confident! (And now I get the “lyre” reference in James’s hint.)
For “People’s” read “Paolo’s”. For my opinion of autocorrect…