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MINKS - Conserving our wildlife heritage: comparative biomechanics of feeding in native and introduced minks Project ID: 000453815 Public
97 Media · 93 Specimens · Creator: Gálvez-López, Eloy · Managed by: Eloy Gálvez-López

The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is the second most threatened mammal in Europe. In the last decade, its population has been halved by habitat degradation and introduction of American Mink (Neovison vison) populations. This invasive species is larger and less habitat-restricted than the European mink. It is unclear whether dietary overlap occurs between these mink species, although skull morphology would suggest that the American mink has access to a wider variety of food items. MINKS aims to compare the mechanical performance of the jaws in feeding to assess the range of potential foods and extent of dietary competition between both mink species. To accomplish this, MINKS will combine computer modelling techniques (iodine-enhanced microCT scans, finite element analysis (FEA)) with 3D geometric morphometric methods (3DGM) for statistical shape analysis. Differences in skull morphology between both mink species will be assessed, and the skull anatomy of each species will be 3D modelled and subjected to FEA, which will then be compared using 3DGM. MINKS represents the first 3D study on muscular architecture in carnivorans, and also the first application of CAHS’ whole-system-function methodology in the study of carnivoran anatomy. The results of this research will be applied to the conservation of European mink populations, particularly in areas where the food items available increase their survivability. MINKS has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 835736, and has been carried out at the Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences (CAHS), Department of Archaeology, University of York (UK).

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  ID Part Object Taxonomy Type Date Added Publication Status  
000581504 Skull yzl:yzl:AML2453 Mustela putorius Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581499 Skull yzl:yzl:C290 Mustela vison Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581483 Skull zmb:mam:94304 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581476 Skull zmb:mam:94303 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581452 Skull zmb:mam:64140 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581447 Skull zmb:mam:64136 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581442 Skull zmb:mam:64134 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581437 Skull zmb:mam:64130 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581432 Skull zmb:mam:64129 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
000581424 Skull zmb:mam:64139 Mustela lutreola Volumetric Image Series 2023-11-13 Restricted Download  
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