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Vibrissa

A vibrissa is a nose hair or whisker[?]. In general, vibrissae are any hairs which grow around the nostrils or other parts of the face in many mammals, usually specialized for tactile sensation of movement. The term is also used in reference to the stiff feathers near the mouths of some birds.

In most mammals, the follicles[?] of vibrissa are surrounded by a highly developed sheath of tissue which detects slight movements of the hair.

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