Procavia capensis
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English: Rock dassie, hyrax
German: Kap-klippschliefer
French: Daman de rocher du cap
Spanish: Daman de cap
Distribution areas
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The rock dassie can be found in South
Africa from the southern coast up to
Zambezi river.
Description of the fur
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The skins are from 23 to 30 cm long. The The cuticular structure
hair coat is dense, yellow-grey in colour of the fine fibres, 2000x
with darker spots. The belly area is
lighter in colour. The hair shafts are straight, only those of the under-fur
layer are moderately curled.
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Procavia capensis
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English: Rock dassie, hyrax
German: Kap-klippschliefer
French: Daman de rocher du cap
Spanish: Daman de cap
Structure of the hair
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The microscopic skin structure has
furrowed surface. The hair follicles are
narrow with straight edges, and contain
cluster of hairs.
The fine fur fibres are from 20 to 35 µm
in diameter. The cross-sectional outline is Longitudinal section
aster-like. The cuticular scales are of an intermediate fibre, 1000x
cornet-like or even, tile-like in shape.
The cuticular surface is smooth or sometimes regularly grooved. The scale
margins are straight. These fine fibres are non-medullated.
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Procavia capensis
-----------------
English: Rock dassie, hyrax
German: Kap-klippschliefer
French: Daman de rocher du cap
Spanish: Daman de cap
The intermediate fibres have a diameter
of from 35 to 50 µm. The cross-section is
aster-like in the shape. The cuticle is
covered by cornet-like or even, tile-like
scales with a smooth surface and straight
scale margins. The medulla is narrow,
unbroken and central symmetrical-shaped,
and is of the uniserial ladder type. The
infilling substance has an amorphous The cuticular structure
detailed structure. of a guard hair, 1000x
The guard hairs are the aster-like in cross-section. The cuticular scales
are smooth on the surface and scale margins are straight. The medullary
column is narrow, unbroken and central symmetrical-shaped in cross-sectional
outline. The medulla is of the uniserial ladder type with an amorphous
infilling substance.
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Procavia capensis
-----------------
English: Rock dassie, hyrax
German: Kap-klippschliefer
French: Daman de rocher du cap
Spanish: Daman de cap
The cuticular structure
of an intermediate hair, 1000x
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Procavia capensis
-----------------
English: Rock dassie, hyrax
German: Kap-klippschliefer
French: Daman de rocher du cap
Spanish: Daman de cap
Longitudinal section
of a fine fur fibre, 2000x
Numerical code for rock dassie skin structure
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Surface of the skin: 3-4-3
Fine fur fibres: 7-5.2-1.2-1-4-0-0-0-0-20.35-6.15
Intermediate fibres: 7-5.2-1-1-3-1-1-1-8-35.51-10.21
Guard hairs: 7-2.4-1-1.2-3-1-1-1-8-50.75-18.27
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