Pinguinus

Pinguinus Skull Replica or Great Auk measures 6.1 inches,museum quality polyurethane cast. Pinguinus Skull Replica is 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Made in USA. Species is extinct.

The Pinguinus or Great Auk was 30 to 33 inches tall and weighed about 11 pounds, making it the largest alcid to survive into the modern era, and the second-largest member of the alcid family overall.

It had a black back and a white belly. The black beak was heavy and hooked, with grooves on its surface.

During summer, great auk’s plumage showed a white patch over each eye. During winter, the great auk lost these patches, instead developing a white band stretching between the eyes.

The bill was large at 4.5 in. long and curved downward at the top. The bill also had deep white grooves in both the upper and lower mandibles, up to seven on the upper mandible and twelve on the lower mandible in summer, although there were fewer in winter.

Its feet and short claws were black, while the webbed skin between the toes was brownish black. The legs were far back on the bird’s body, which gave it powerful swimming and diving abilities.

Pinguinus or Great Auk hatchlings were described as grey and downy, but their exact appearance is unknown, since no skins exist today.

Pinguinus or Great Auk juvenile birds had fewer prominent grooves in their beaks than adults and they had mottled white and black necks, while the eye spot found in adults was not present; instead, a grey line ran through the eyes (which still had white eye rings) to just below the ears.

The wings were only 6 in. long, rendering the bird flightless. Instead, the Great auk was a powerful swimmer, a trait that it used in hunting.

Its favorite prey were fish, including Atlantic menhaden and capelin, and crustaceans. Although agile in the water, it was clumsy on land.