August-September 2024 • Nebraskaland 25
subsequently fall out of them. Dislodged quills can embed
themselves into the porcupine's skin in a luckless condition
known as "self-quilling." It turns out these reclusive rodents
have a plan for that, too — studies have shown that North
American porcupine quills are covered with free fatty acids,
providing antibacterial properties that prevent infection
from self-infl icted stabs.
Functional Fashion — Always in
Season
Like humans and clothing, animal body coverings are
a genetic response to their ecology and habitat. Carefully
curated over generations, feathers, fur, scales and quills
represent the dominating phenotype that is most successful
for survival. If a fi sh's scales are the "cargo shorts,"
then a phenotype is the outfi t — or a set of observable
characteristics, including the fi ns, gills, coloration and other
adornments on an animal's body. While one species may
have varying phenotypes, there is generally one that is
predominant — and this "trending" outfi t became popular
not via the runway, but by fi tness in an animal's environment.
While fanciful feathers, embellished scales and rattling
quills may seem analogous to the fripperies of haute couture
— when we take a closer look, animal fashion serves much
more than just for show. Exciting discoveries and inventions
inspired by animal body coverings are sure to continue in our
future.
N
Lauren Salick is the education director for Nebraska Wildlife
Rehab, dedicating her career to fostering respect and harmony
between humans and wildlife. Alex Wiles is the creative
director of NEW Multimedia.
In this photo, you can just visualize the scaled keratinized cuticle, lining the outermost layer of the hair, in the coarse guard
hairs of a Virginia opossum.
The mottled plumage of a common nighthawk. The stark
contrast of colors work together to provide camoufl age for
the animal when seen as a whole plumage.
