Aspects of skull and dentition morphology of the mink (Mustela vison)

The skull morphology of the mink (Mustela vison Schreb) based on a sample of 97 (56 male and 41 female) mink, ranch bred and aged between 7 months to 2 years has been examined to provide the characteristic features of an inbred colony whose ingress into the natural environment by escapes of releases has led to a viable feral population. Behavioural adaptation including breeding of the feral group is confirmed and the need for a cranial morphological base line is therefore paramount if cranial morphological adaptations arising from the feral group are to be compared in the future. Morphological details have been recorded by various drawings, and the characteristics which form part of the species key were noted as: postorbital constriction marked, minimum width behind postorbital processes less than width of interorbital space, tympanic bullae are flattened and broad with anterior edges merging with adjacent bones, length of tympanic bullae greater than width, maxillary molar large with inner lobe expanded lingually until much greater than the outer buccal lobe. Sexual dimorphism was indicated from the skull measurements but was not significant due to the preponderance of immature adults present in the sample.