vibrissa
Cat's facial feeler
A vibrissa is a stiff, sensitive hair found on mammals, typically around the face—the whiskers of a cat or rat.
These specialized hairs detect subtle changes in air currents and help animals navigate in darkness or sense nearby objects.
The plural is vibrissae.
In humans, vibrissae are the coarse hairs inside the nostrils.
Stiff facial bristle
Sensory cell for pressure
- receptorSignal-receiving molecule
- neuronImpulse-conducting cell
- afferentConveying toward central point
- stimulusWhat prompts a reaction
transduction · signal · innervation · somatosensory · cortex · neural · impulse · proprioception
Pursuing wild game
- preyAnimal being hunted
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- navigationDetermining position and course
- orientationPosition relative to surroundings
grooming · foraging · nocturnal · burrow · exploration · whisking · scanning · environment
Sensory touch organs
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
- textureSurface tactile quality
- pressureForce upon contact
- contactCommunication or physical touch
probe · explore · palpation · surface · gentle · discernment · substrate · deflection
whisker
Stiff facial bristle
muzzle · fur · hair · nostril · mammal · cat · rodent · rat · mouse · seal
mechanoreceptor
Sensory cell for pressure
- receptorSignal-receiving molecule
- neuronImpulse-conducting cell
- afferentConveying toward central point
stimulus · transduction · signal · innervation · somatosensory · cortex · neural · impulse · proprioception · feedback
hunting
Pursuing wild game
- preyAnimal being hunted
- predatorOrganism that consumes others
- navigationDetermining position and course
orientation · grooming · foraging · nocturnal · burrow · exploration · whisking · scanning · environment · darkness
feelers
Sensory touch organs
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
- textureSurface tactile quality
- pressureForce upon contact
contact · probe · explore · palpation · surface · gentle · discernment · substrate · deflection
vibrissafur
Animal body hair
pelage · underfur · down feather · contour feather · wool