What aspect of the Epicyon skull provided the mechanical advantage necessary for crushing?
Answer
Greater vertical depth and width
While the absolute skull length might be inferred to be only slightly longer than a modern large wolf, the functional difference for bone crushing lies in the skull's volumetric dimensions. The mechanical advantage required for fracturing bone is achieved through greater vertical depth and significant width across the jaw regions. This configuration allowed the powerful musculature, anchored by the sagittal crest, to apply superior leverage and concentrated force directly onto the target bone structure.
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