THE EFFECT OF DOMESTICATION ON BRAIN SIZE AND COMPOSITION IN THE MINK(MUSTELA-VISON)

The sizes of total brain, the five fundamental brain parts, and certai n telencephalic structures were measured in wild mink (Mustela vison e nergumenos) and ranch mink of a Dark Standard strain of the same speci es. By means of intraspecific allometric methods for analysing the rel ationship between brain weight and body weight (net carcass weight), t he volumes of the brain parts were compared in both groups. In general , total brain, as well as all the parts measured, were smaller in size in ranch mink independent of body size, age, and sex, indicating that domestication has led to a decrease in size. There were differences i n the amount of decrease in various brain parts. These are discussed i n connection with domestication time, with comparable results obtained in other species, and with regard to the functional importance of the brain parts.