- Pelage
In
mammal s, pelage is thehair ,fur , orwool that covers theanimal . In many mammals, the pelage is made up of more than one type of hair. Some of the most prominent types of hair that make up the pelage include guard hairs (such as the defensive spines ofporcupine s), bristles (which make up themane of lions), and the underfur, which traps in air to maintain temperature.The pelage often
molt s (process that sheds hair) at various times in the animal's development. The juvenile pelage may go through an intermediate form before settling to an adult appearance.The pelage in modern mammals serves to protect its owner from heat and cold, as means to signal (e.g., the contrasting pattern of striped skunks can be a warning to predators), defense (by matching the color of the pelage to that of the immediate surrounding), as well as to protect the animal from abrasion.
The embryos of various mammals, including humans, are covered with a pelage called
lanugo .References
* cite encyclopedia
editor =
encyclopedia =Encyclopædia Britannica
title =Pelage
url =http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9058981/pelage
accessdate =2008-02-06
year =2008
publisher =Encyclopædia Britannica Online
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