Several skull attributes, such as an elongated braincase and well-developed cheekteeth, aid the pine marten in capture, restraint, and processing of prey and allow them to be remarkable predators.
Several skull attributes allow pine martens to be remarkable predators.
An elongated braincase allows for the insertion of an enlarged temporalis muscle while a large flange on the mandibular fossae prevents the dislocation of the lower jaw. Pine martens also possess well-developed shearing and crushing cheekteeth.
These characteristics aid martens in capture, restraint, and processing of prey.
• Image | © Karen Bullock, Some Rights Reserved, (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
• Sources | (Clevenger, 1993; Grzimek, 1990; Schwanz, 2000; Zalewski, Jedrzejewski, & Jedrzejewska, 1995)
