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O1: To determine differences in head musculoskeletal anatomy between mink species and between sexes within species.
O1: To determine differences in head musculoskeletal anatomy between mink species and between sexes within species.
MINKS will study bone morphology (O1a) and muscle architecture (O1b) in European and American mink, and explore their variability both inter- and intraspecifically.
To date, comparisons of skull morphology between both mink species are limited to descriptive studies, which report European minks as presenting juvenile features relative to American mink. MINKS will investigate this claim with state-of-the-art 3D shape analysis methods.
MINKS represents the first 3D study on muscular architecture in carnivorans, and also the first application of the whole-system-function methodology developed at the Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences (University of York, UK) to the study of carnivoran anatomy.
O2: To determine how the differences in mink head anatomy impact feeding biomechanics.
O2: To determine how the differences in mink head anatomy impact feeding biomechanics.
The form of a structure is closely related to its function, and many studies have demonstrated how bone size and shape variations can impact functional capabilities and behaviour. This is particularly true of the skull in relation to feeding performance, especially so in predators that use their jaws to kill prey, like most mustelids.
Any change to the morphology of the skull will alter the lever mechanics of the masticatory system, thus affecting: bite force, and hence the ability to deliver the kill bite and/or crush food items; maximum gape, which can alter the range of accessible prey; and stresses and strains across the skull generated by biting or by prey struggling to escape.
Skull form has a major influence on the range of prey that can be exploited by a species, and thus the ability of a species to thrive in a particular habitat, adopt new niches and withstand climate change.
O3: To evaluate whether differences in skull shape between both mink species are related to differences in diet.
O3: To evaluate whether differences in skull shape between both mink species are related to differences in diet.
Most weasel-like mustelids (musteline and ictonychine species) feed on small terrestrial vertebrates like rodents, birds and reptiles. In contrast, for both mink species, aquatic prey (fish, amphibians and crustaceans) usually represent the largest percentage of their diet.
This percentage is bigger in the European mink than in the American mink, since the latter is an opportunistic predator and tends to rely more on rodents and waterfowl.
Thus, we expect that differences in head anatomy and feeding biomechanics in the European mink will reflect adaptations to an increased percentage of aquatic prey in their diet, with these being less pronounced in American mink and almost non-existent in other weasel-like mustelids.
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