Key to the Skulls of Kansas Mammals
This key is an identification guide to the skulls of Kansas mammals, including both native and non-native mammals. It may not work for juvenile or broken skulls.
The key has a series of steps. Each step will show two pictures and descriptions. After reading the descriptions, click the picture that most closely matches your skull. These steps will whittle down the possibilities until you are left with the correct identification for your skull.
You may need a magnifying glass or a ruler.
Some tips for using this key:
- Read the descriptions for the pictures carefully so that you fully understand the difference between the two.
- If a step has descriptions with multiple parts (e.g., Parts A and B), then only one part needs to be true for you to pick your picture, unless otherwise stated.
- If you are not sure which picture most closely matches your skull, try both of them and see which next step makes the most sense. Use the back arrow to your advantage.
- If neither picture matches your skull, you may have made a wrong turn. Use the “Back A Step” button until you get to a step that matches your skull, then retry. Alternatively, if your skull is broken, then it may not match either picture because it is missing a feature needed to continue in the key.
- Once you reach an identification, confirm that your skull matches the provided reference photographs. If it doesn’t, you likely made a mistake in the key. You can use the back arrow of your browser to reenter the key and try again.