Cetecean Skull Replicas from Arizona Dry Bones

Whales, porpoises and dolphins are perhaps the most peculiarly adapted mammals of all. Their skulls are modified by a process called "telescoping", where the maxillae extend rearward to the top of the skull. The auditory region is highly modifed so that the animals can echo-locate, with highly ossified bullae. There are two major groups of cetaceans; the toothed whales, or odontocetes, and the baleen whales, or mysticetes. Cetaceans range in size from the tiny Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise (Phocena sinus) at a length of 4 feet, to the Blue Whale, (Balaenoptera muscuslus)which reaches a length of 100 feet.

Bottle-nosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): The Bottle-nosed Dolphin has from 20 - 28 teeth in each side of each jaw. The snout is short and broad.

Length of skull: 18.0 inches. Price $260.00

Amazon Dolphin, or Bouto (Inia geoffrensis) The Amazon Dolphin reaches a length of 3 meters. It has a long snout with 33-34 teeth on each side of each jaw.

Length of skull: 20.0 inches.
Price: $260.00

Hubb's Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon carlhubbsi) The Beaked Whales are bizarre creatures, especially so in this species, with its pair of huge lower teeth which the upper jaw fits between. It is hard to imagine a functional use of these teeth! This specimen was stranded on a beach in Marin County, California in 1950. California Academy of Sciences specimen. Adult Male.

Length of skull: 33.0 inches.
Price: $600.00

Harbor Porpoise (Phocena phocena) These little porpoises reach a length of 2 meters. Their snouts are short and broad, with 16-28 teeth on each side of each jaw.

Length of skull: 12.0 inches.
Price: $240.00

Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) The largest member of the dolphin family. Found in all oceans and adjoining seas. Reaches a length of 9.8 meters. There are 10-14 teeth in each side of each jaw.

Length of skull: 34.0 inches.
Price: $900.00

Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) The Narwhal has two teeth, one on each side of the upper jaw. The right one usually is small, and imbedded in the gum tissue. The left one errupts, protrudes through the lip and projects forward as much as 9 or more feet. Cast is of the TUSK ONLY.

Length of tusk: 62.0 inches.
Price: $320.00

Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps) Teeth in lower jaw only, 12 - 16 per side. Skull is of a male 3.2 meters in total length, beached on Moro Bay, California in 1966. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History specimen.

Length of skull: 17.3 inches.
Price: $600.00

Complete skeleton avaidlable, please enquire about price.

Dwarf Sperm Whale (Kogia simus) Teeth in lower jaw only, 8 - 11 per side. Skull is of a male 2.2 meters in total length, beached in San Luis Obispo, California in 1967. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History specimen.

Length of skull: 11.4 inches.
Price: $400.00

Dalls Porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) .

Length of skull: 11.8 inches.
Price: $200.00

Cuviers Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris) .

Length of skull: 36.0 inches.
Price: $900.00

False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) .

Length of skull: 24.0 inches.
Price: $280.00

Sperm Whale Tooth (Physeter macrocephalus) Two different teeth available.

Length of each tooth: 5.0 inches.
Price: $6.00

Beluga (Delphinapterus leucus).

Length of skull: 20.9 inches.
Price: $450.00

Rough-toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis).

Length of skull: 20.4 inches.
Price: $260.00

Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra).

Length of skull: 18.1 inches.
Price: $260.00

Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus).

Length of skull: 20.9 inches.
Price: $450.00

Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) .

Length of skull: 13 inches.
Price: $280.00

La Plata River Dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei).

Length of skull: 14.4 inches.
Price: $280.00

Long-beaked Dolphin (Delphinius capensis).

Length of skull: 18.6 inches.
Price: $260.00

Pacific White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens).

Length of skull: 14.5 inches.
Price: $260.00

Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis).

Length of skull: 15.4 inches.
Price: $260.00

Rissos Dolphin (Grampus girseus).

Length of skull: 21.5 inches.
Price: $450.00

Up-to-date information can be found in the Handbook of Marine Mammals, edited by S. H. Ridgeway and J. H. Harrison, published by Academic Press in 1981 and later. These are horrendously expensive little volumes, but are the best source of data on all the marine mammals.

Cetacean Skull Reproductions