Structural interspecies variability of mammals' hairs

Area of Science:

• Mammalian biology
• Materials science
• Comparative anatomy

Background:

• Mammalian hair is vital for insulation and hydrophobicity.
• Domestic animal hair is studied for textile applications, but wild species are less understood.
• Comparative data on wild mammal hair physical properties is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the physical properties of hair from diverse wild mammalian species.
• To establish a foundation for in-depth comparative analysis of mammalian hair.
• To correlate hair's internal structure with its physical characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing polarized light microscopy to visualize internal hair structures.
• Examining the medulla, cortex, and cuticle of brown hairs from three distinct wild mammals.
• Currently investigating the physical properties corresponding to observed structural differences.

Main Results:

• Observed striking differences in the internal hair structures of the Patagonian mara, brown bear, and Amur tiger.
• Identified variations in the medulla, cortex, and cuticle composition.
• Preliminary findings suggest a link between internal hair structure and physical properties.

Conclusions:

• Internal hair structure varies significantly across wild mammal species.
• These structural variations are hypothesized to influence hair's physical properties.
• Further research is ongoing to quantify these physical property differences.