Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Grant RA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6015872 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Proceedings. Biological sciences 20180601 1880
All small mammals have prominent facial whiskers that they employ as tactile sensors to guide navigation and foraging in complex habitats. Nocturnal, arboreal mammals tend to have the longest and most densely packed whiskers, and semi-aquatic mammals have the most sensitive. Here we present evidence to indicate that many small mammals use their whiskers to tactually guide safe foot positioning. Specifically, in 11, small, non-flying mammal species, we demonstrate that forepaw placement always fa ...[more]