This week I have an unapologetically difficult mystery object from the Dead Zoo for you to try idenifying:
Any idea what this close-up mystery object could be?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below – and have fun with it!
Friday mystery object #511
Zygoma 
My friend Al sez it’s possibly him.
Rocky the pteromyinin’s co-star?
Their irises are horizontal. Sheesh. Now what?
good point. I can’t even articulate why I thought it looked moosy.
Well… it does look moosy! I think he has thrown us to the dogs on this one! This investigation has been quite a Caper.
As you pointed out earlier, we have to take it on faith that the taxidermist selected the correct kind glass eye for the mount.
Tricky … where are the eye lashes? Maybe Sus spp., possibly a battered Sus scrofa …
Tricky … where are the eye lashes? Possibly Sus spp. Perhaps a battered Sus scrofa?
The problem I can “see” with this eye is that we are relying on the skill of the taxidermist to have correctly chosen the exact correct glass eye: pupil, color, shape of the iris, for the animal is is supposed to represent. And did the preparer accidentally strip the eye of any eyelashes, (sus scrofa as many have indicated) or does this animal not have any. Which is fairly unusual as far as ‘eyes’ go. Unless it was cetacean, which the fur would indicate it is not. Not seal either.
So… What are we trying to identify? Somebody’s work, or an accurate animal? With only the glass eye, a small patch of fur and someone’s epoxy, clay or paint to go on it seems… ah, how did Paolo put it… unapologetically difficult! LOL!
As soon as I saw that I was reminded of an animal your father and I met again 17 years after we visited Earsham with you. A Roe Deer named Ella.
Signed, Your very-much-not-a-biologist mother.
Well… I am still thinking the taxidermist didn’t quite make the cut on the glass eye choice. Probably because there isn’t any available for this seal. Every photo I could find show a distinctly reddish hue and over-enlarged eye in the socket. One reason may be because the eyes of a hooded seal are especially sensitive to UV light. I found an interesting segment on the dissection of the hooded seal eye. This enlarged eye, along with the “sort of” red in the glass would have been a distinctive feature for ID… but alas, I don’t think the glass eye exists.