Locomotion in the North American mink, a semi-aquatic mammal. I. Swimming energetics and body drag

Oxygen consumption (VO2) during surface swimming and total body drag were investigated in the North American mink, Mustela vision Schreber. Over the range of 0.13-0.70 ms-1, VO2 increased curvilinearly with speed for minks swimming against a current in a water flume. Similarly, body drag of a mink carcass increased non-linearly with speed and was described by the equation, Drag = 1.24 velocity. A streamlined body shape, characteristic of many mustelids, aided in reducing drag at high speeds. Net swimming efficiencies were comparatively low (less than 2.8%) and were attributed to hig levels of drag when on the water surface and the absence of appendage specialization for aquatic locomotion. This lack of specialization probably contributes to high energetic costs but enables the mink to forage in both the aquatic and terrestrial environments.

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Skeleton of Extinct North American Sea Mink (Mustela macrodon)

Quaternary Research ◽

10.1006/qres.1999.2109 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 247-262 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jim I. Mead ◽

Arthur E. Spiess ◽

Kristin D. Sobolik

Keyword(s):

Native American ◽

North America ◽

North American ◽

Gulf Of Maine ◽

American Mink ◽

Shell Middens ◽

Northeastern North America ◽

The North ◽

Coastal Island ◽

Alexander Archipelago

AbstractMustela macrodon (extinct sea mink) is known only from prehistoric and historic Native American shell middens dating less than 5100 years old along coastal islands of the Gulf of Maine, northeastern North America. The species is distinct from all known extant subspecies of M. vison (American mink) but still belongs to the North American subgenus Vison. Metric comparisons between M. macrodon and five subspecies of M. vison, using skull, mandible, humerus, radius, femur, and tibia skeletal elements, show that M. macrodon is larger in overall size and robustness and is proportionately larger in the dental region. Many habitat-related parallels exist between coastal island mink of the Gulf of Maine and those of the Alexander Archipelago, southeastern Alaska, where the overall largest living subspecies of mink is found (M. v. nesolestes).

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Locomotion in the North American mink, a semi-aquatic mammal. II. The effect of an elongate body on running energetics and gait patterns

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.105.1.283 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 105 (1) ◽

pp. 283-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

T. M. Williams

Keyword(s):

Stride Length ◽

American Mink ◽

Gait Pattern ◽

Stride Frequency ◽

Energetic Cost ◽

Transport Costs ◽

Gait Patterns ◽

Aquatic Mammal ◽

Transition Speed ◽

The North

Oxygen consumption (VO2) of minks increased non-linearly with running speed over the range of 0.70-6.40 km h-1. A break in the VO2 vs speed relationship occurred at approximately 3.94 km h-1 and corresponded to the transition from a walking to a half-bounding gait pattern. Incremental transport costs associated with bounding were 36% lower than for walking at similar speeds. The lower energetic cost of bounding was attributed in part to low stride frequencies and in part to spinal flexion. The latter was particularly important in circumventing stride length restrictions associated with the short limbs of these animals. As a result, stride frequency and stride length of these elongate mustelids at the gait transition speed were similar to values predicted for conventionally-shaped mammals.

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