Guard hair or overhair is the outer layer of hair of most mammals, which overlay the fur. Guard hairs are long and coarse and protect the rest of the pelage (fur) from abrasion and frequently from moisture. They are visible on the surface of the fur and usually lend a characteristic contour and colour pattern. Underneath the contour hair is the short, dense, fine down. There are three types of guard hair: awns, bristles, and spines.[1][2][3]
- ^ G. A. Feldhamer, J. F. Merritt, C. Krajewski, J. L. Rachlow, K. M. Stewart. Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology. Fifth Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press. 2020
- ^ Robert E. Martin, Ronald H. Pine, Anthony F. DeBlase. A Manual of Mammalogy: With Keys to Families of the World. 3rd edition. Waveland Pr Inc. 2011
- ^ D. A. Kelt, J. L. Patton. A Manual of the Mammalia: An Homage to Lawlor’s “Handbook to the Orders and Families of Living Mammals”. University of Chicago Press. 2020