Porcupine quills are unique, defensive structures made of hardened keratin that functio…
Porcupine quills are unique, defensive structures made of hardened keratin that functio…
By Smartasaurus· 1 min read
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Porcupine quills are unique, defensive structures made of hardened keratin that function as specialized, needle-sharp hairs.
While Old World porcupines possess long, smooth spikes, New World species feature thousands of smaller quills tipped with microscopic, backward-facing barbs. These barbs act like fishhooks, allowing the quill to pierce flesh easily but locking it into place so that pulling it out is highly painful and difficult.
Contrary to popular folklore, porcupines lack the biologica
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