pelage
Mammal's hair covering
Pelage is the fur, hair, wool, or other soft covering of a mammal.
The term appears in zoological and veterinary contexts where "fur" or "coat" would sound imprecise: The arctic fox's pelage changes from brown to white in winter.
It encompasses the entire coat as a collective feature rather than individual hairs.
Animal body hair
- coatOuter garment or layer
- hairFibrous scalp covering
- maneNeck hair, horse/lion
- undercoatPreparatory paint layer
fleece · wool · whiskers · vibrissae · bristles · tuft · down · quills
Smooth and lustrous
- coarseRough in texture
- softYielding to touch
- bristlyCovered with stiff hairs
- plushThick-pile soft fabric
velvety · sleek · fluffy · woolly · shaggy · glossy · wiry · curly
Concealment through visual blending
- crypticObscure in meaning
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
winter coat · summer coat · molting · shedding · insulation · thermoregulation · waterproof · guard hairs
fur
Animal body hair
undercoat · fleece · wool · whiskers · vibrissae · bristles · tuft · down · quills · spines
silky
Smooth and lustrous
plush · velvety · sleek · fluffy · woolly · shaggy · glossy · wiry · curly · dense
camouflage
Concealment through visual blending
- crypticObscure in meaning
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
seasonal · winter coat · summer coat · molting · shedding · insulation · thermoregulation · waterproof · guard hairs · blubber
spotted
Seen or patterned
dappled · brindled · piebald · agouti · melanistic · albino · tabby · rosettes · countershaded · grizzled
brushing
Sweeping motion with bristles
preening · licking · matting · detangling · conditioning · trimming · clipping · washing · dander · maintenance
pelageplumage
Bird's complete feather coat
feathers · scales · integument · exoskeleton · carapace