Hair microstructure of the first time found calf of woolly rhinoceros Coelodonta antiquitatis

Abstract

Hair microstructure of the first calf of the woolly rhinoceros Coelodonta antiquitatis found in Sakha in 2014 (the neck and hind leg hair) was examined by the light and electron scanning microscopy. The calf hair features were compared with those of two adults studied earlier. The calf coat color was much lighter than in adults, from pale ashy to blond. The extent of hair differentiation, dimensional and pigmentation indices were lower in the calf than in adult rhinoceroses. There was no medulla in the calf hairs, while in those of adults it was occasionally found. The cortical and cuticular layer microstructure was similar in all the animals compared. In both calf and adult hairs, there were traces of mechanical damage.