Does Vibrissal Innervation Patterns and Investment Predict Hydrodynamic Trail Following Behavior of Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina)?

Our understanding of vibrissal function in pinnipeds is poor due to the lack of comparative morphological, neurobiological, and psychophysical performance data. In contrast, the function of terrestrial mammalian vibrissae is better studied. Pinnipeds have the largest vibrissae of all mammals, and phocids may have the most modified vibrissae. The tactile performance for pinniped vibrissae is well known for harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ). Harbor...