Beard and mustache in animals: photo, appearance, features – It’s no secret that there are unusual animals that wear a real mustache and even beards. That’s just the dense vegetation on the face they do not need at all for beauty. It performs its strictly defined functions. So, some living beings need a mustache to search for food, and a beard to attract a partner during the mating season. Who are the lucky owners of dense vegetation on the face?
Whale
The owner of the longest mustache is a whale. This inhabitant of the ocean feeds mainly on small crustaceans, which are most often called krill. Whale whale uses just for food. With their help, he filters the water in such a way that only small crustaceans and fish remain in the mouth.
Mustache completely replaces the animal’s teeth. They consist of rigid plates, the length of which is from 20 to 450 millimeters. In total, there are about 360-800 pieces of such plates. The end and inner edge of each of them is divided into many bristles. Due to this structure, the whalebone is a real fine sieve, which is an ideal filter.
Japanese serow
Japanese serow is an animal that appeared during the last ice age. This amazing creature managed not only to survive to this day, but also to maintain its pristine appearance. The males boast a thick beard. Its length is about 10-20 centimeters. Females do not have such luxury. They have extremely sparse vegetation on the face.
Males need a beard not at all for beauty. With its help, they attract partners during the breeding season. Females, as a rule, choose males with the thickest and longest beard. By the way, it is precisely due to the state of vegetation on the face that males evaluate the enemy. It is believed that the longer the beard, the stronger the animal. And nobody wants to get in touch with a too powerful and mature male, because a fight with him can be too traumatic.
Bearded pig
Bearded pigs have a small tuft of wool about 15 centimeters long. It is located just above the patch. We can say that these animals are more whiskered than bearded.
Pigs need whiskers exclusively for food. When these unusual creatures tear apart the earth, they touch their mustache with nutritious roots and small insects. Thus, animals determine their presence in the soil. After the pigs find food, they are happy to start dinner.
Senegalese Libya
Senegalese Libya lives in West African rainforests. It is often called the bearded bird. And all because this feathered creature has a beautiful beard, consisting of hard feathers. It is located under a large beak. The length of this beautiful beard is 5-7 centimeters.
Senegalese Libes need a beard just for beauty. Birds use it only during the breeding season.
Whiskered Monkey
Whiskered monkeys are happy owners of fairly dense vegetation on the face. Mature males have a thick white mustache. Their length is 5-10 centimeters.
Male individuals use a mustache to attract females during the breeding season. Moreover, males really have something to brag about to future brides. After all, every groom always carefully looks after his mustache. In addition, the longer and more beautiful the mustache, the higher the hierarchical status of the monkey in the pack.
Marhur
Markhur is also called the goat. However, curled-shaped horns are not the only thing this animal can boast of. One of the main advantages of marhur is his beard. Its length is 70 centimeters. Females cannot boast of such dense vegetation on their faces. The length of their beard, as a rule, does not exceed 15 centimeters.
For marhurs, a beard is the main decoration. They use it only to attract females. In addition, the beard is also an indicator of the maturity of the male. Before the clash, marhurs always wave their beards to appreciate each other’s strengths. Only males with approximately the same size of horns and beard always enter the fray.
Blue mustached lobster
Blue lobster is a marine creature with a rather large mustache that grows up to 60 centimeters. They are much longer than the body of the animal itself.
Blue lobsters are very hard to see. Using sensitive whiskers, they orient themselves in space, choosing the desired direction of movement. Animals use this important organ also for food and for rescue from enemies.
Shaggy saki
Saki are the most furry primates. The males have a beautiful beard that grows up to 30 centimeters. The adult saki’s beard is so long that it covers his chest. Females have practically no vegetation on their faces.
Primates use a beard in mating games. Dense vegetation on the face indicates the sexual maturity of the male. During the mating season, animals twitch their beard, making loud noises. This is done to attract females and scare away rivals.
Bactrian Camel
The two-humped camel wears a beard 40 centimeters long, it completely covers its chin, neck and chest. Such lush vegetation protects the animal well from the cold. In places where two-humped camels live, it is always very cold at night.
Barbel beetle
Among insects, there are also those who can boast a magnificent mustache. One of such unusual creatures is the barbel beetle. The length of his mustache is several times greater than the length of his body.
A mustache is a very important organ through which a beetle recognizes odors. In addition, some insects use it to determine humidity and air temperature, as well as for the perception of ultrasonic waves emanating from their relatives.
Few animals need a mustache and beard only as decorative elements. In most cases, dense vegetation has a strictly defined functional purpose. However, almost all living things mustache and beard definitely look very nice.