Elephants' trunk whiskers exhibit high tactile sensitivity. This study investigates whisker density, morphology, follicle organization, innervation, and function in African and Asian elephants. Findings reveal higher whisker density in African elephants, significant lateralized whisker abrasion in adults linked to trunk behavior, thick cylindrical whiskers with minimal tapering, large follicles lacking a ring sinus, and extensive follicle innervation (~90 axons). The absence of whisking suggests trunk movements determine whisker contact. Specific high-density whisker arrays on the ventral trunk ridge likely aid in object balancing. These unique whisker features—thick, non-tapered, lateralized, and arranged in specific arrays—are hypothesized to have co-evolved with the trunk's manipulative capabilities.

Nora Deiringer, Undine Schneeweiß, Lena V. Kaufmann, Lennart Eigen, Celina Speissegger, Ben Gerhardt, Susanne Holtze, Guido Fritsch, Frank Göritz, Rolf Becker, Andreas Ochs, Thomas Hildebrandt, Michael Brecht