Comparative allometric skull morphometrics in mink ( Mustela vison Schreber, 1777) of Canadian and Belarus origin; taxonomic status

Over several decades American mink ( Mustela vison) colonised large parts of northern Eurasia where they occupied species-specific habitats and caused severe problems in indigenous wild life communities. These populations originated from accidental ranch mink escapes or deliberate release. It is of general interest to characterise their taxonomic state in contrast to individuals from North America. Therefore, comparative investigations were accomplished on skulls of adult mink with Canadian and Belarus origin using 18 parameters and the total body weight. The diverse parameters were allometrically analysed in relation to greatest skull length and to body size additionally. As a result the Belarus mink skulls are significantly different from the Canadian and the degree of difference is largely above the level between Canadian subspecies (e. g., M. vison lacustris versus M. v. energumenos). Independent of body size Belarus mink skulls clearly are shorter in the facialis part including tooth row and evidently smaller in brain cavity size. The differences are identical with intraspecific changes due to the process of domestication leading from the wild to the ranch mink. Altogether the Belarus individuals still resemble ranch mink in skull configuration although being feralised for many generations. Zoological consequences of this fact are further discussed and the scientific name Mustela vison f. dom. fera is proposed to characterise the Eurasian wild populations and discriminate these from the autochthonous ancestors in North America.