Comparison of the craniometric parameters of wild and farm American mink (Mustela vison)

Abstract

Skulls of 65 American minks from the West Pomeranian Province were examined (farm: n = 33, male: n = 16, female: n = 17; wild: n = 32, male: n = 20, female: n = 12). Craniometric parameters in the number of 24 were determined and measured on each skull. Results were averaged and compared, maintaining the division into sex groups. Males were found to have statistically significant differences between wild and farm animals in 20 parameters; measurements showing no statistically significant differences were: nasal length, postorbital constriction, brain case height and greatest height of the mandibular body. Females were found to have statistically significant differences between wild and farm animals in 6 parameters: condylobasal length, tooth row length, greatest length of the mandible, brain case basis length, postorbital length and palatal length. The percentage conversion of measurements into the greatest length of the skull showed differences in its proportions. Among male skulls, the parameters for which the ratio of differences was more than 2% were palatal length, zygomatic breadth and brain case height. For female skulls, no craniometric parameters showed differences in the skull proportions being greater than 2%. The occurrence of measurable changes in the craniometric parameters between domestic and farm mink populations may indicate that the domestication process is still ongoing and allows distinguishing the population affiliation of an individual specimen.