Exhibits a large bony ridge above the eye sockets. These support the powerful jaw muscles needed for their plant-based diets. Forehead is absent, and skull is low and sloping above the eyes.
The low and small cranium holds brains of about 500 cc.
Jaws protrude out from the face, creating an elongated muzzle.
Jaws and teeth are large providing powerful chewing abilities needed for a diet that relies primarily on hard seeds and fibrous plants.
The foramen magnum is the hole through which the spinal cord enters the brain. In the gorilla, it is located toward the back of the skull, and results in the head sitting in front of the spinal cord.