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Specimen information:

Catalog number: MZB 97-0053
Scientific name : Gorilla gorilla (Savage, 1847)
Common name: Western Gorilla
Element: skull
Location: Mbini
Collecting date: 06/02/1997
Sex: female
Acquisition source: Parc Zoològic de Barcelona
Acquisition Date: 10/02/1997
Biometrics - skull: Height 121.6mm X Width 146.6mm X Depth 260.4mm

Information about the species:

Chordata ,Vertebrata ,Mammalia ,Primates ,Hominidae ,Homininae ,Gorilla ,Gorilla gorilla

Description:

The Western Gorilla is a herbivorous hominid that feeds on leaves, berries, ferns and bark.
Its cranium is elongated compared to the rest of its body ? the result of the development of its brain ? and has evident mandibular prognathism. Its orbits are large there is a prominent sagittal crest on the upper part of the cranium. The face is rounded, with supraorbital ridges above the eyes where the temporal muscles needed for chewing and grinding plant matter are attached.
Its dentition is bunodont, with low rounded cusps that permit the cutting, crushing and grinding of plant matters. It has 32 teeth in the following dental formula: I 2/2, C 1/1, P 2/2, M 3/3; due to their behaviour, males have evolved prominent canine teeth.