Studying the Human Anatomy A Mink Essay - 2440 Words

A mink is a good specimen to study the human anatomy because it is so closely related in internal features to that of a human being. Since these features are so closely related it provides a sort of â€Å"model† that can be used in order to better understand the anatomy of humans. In the muscular system the main differences between minks and humans are mostly the size and shape of each muscle. However, for example the temporalis differs in that it has different locations within the mink and human. In minks the temporalis is located on the dorsal side of the skull while, in humans it is located on the later side. Also the romboideus complex muscles differ in location as well. In humans these muscles are located in the upper section of†¦show more content†¦Also the size of the large intestines is much smaller in the mink compared to humans and also it doesn’t wrap around the abdominal cavity. Another difference is the overall use of the pyloric sphincter. Althoug h both minks and humans have them, the importance of the pyloric sphincter is more prominent in minks since they eat larger prey and are able to store more energy. The circulatory system of both humans and minks are relatively similar. In both humans and minks, their circulatory systems consist of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The main difference of the circulatory system is the size of the heart. Since humans are larger organisms, their hearts average to about twelve centimeters while minks’ hearts average at about four centimeters. Another difference between the circulatory system of minks and humans is the names of veins. In humans the superior and inferior vena cava is known as the cranial and caudal vena cava in minks. The respiratory system of minks and humans share the same function which is the gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide. The lungs are very similar in that of texture which is smooth, color which is a dark reddish color and size in which that is covers most of the upper chest region. Although humans are again larger organisms their lungs are significantly larger than a minks. Also