Nearly all mammals have whiskers – sensory tactile hairs, also known as vibrissae. In fact, whiskers are only truly absent in a handful of species, including humans. Much of what we know about whiskers comes from studying just a few species, such as laboratory rats and mice. However, without inspiration from more species, natural environments and stimuli, researchers are probably missing out on describing other important whisker behaviours, which may give us better insights into the brain areas, signals and behaviours associated with active whisker touch sensing. In this presentation, I will present a snapshot of what we know about whiskers, drawing information from our comparative studies of whisker anatomy, development, evolution, and function. I will also consider the applications of whisker research for mammalian behaviour, welfare, and conservation.
Organizer
Laurens Bosman
l.bosman@erasmusmc.nl