Fig. 2: Whisker lengths varies with usage/ abrasion and is lateralized in adult elephants.

a Frontal view of an adult African elephant trunk tip. Note the asymmetric whisker length. b As in a but for an adult Asian elephant trunk tip. Note the asymmetry. c Frontal view of a newborn African elephant trunk tip. Note the symmetric whisker length. d As in c but for a newborn Asian elephant trunk tip. Note the symmetry. e Number of African (black) and Asian (white) elephant trunk tips with symmetrical whisker lengths or longer whiskers on the right or left trunk side. Upper, adult elephants. Lower, newborn elephants. f Left, dot display of whisker positions on the side of an African elephant trunk tip. Right, dot display of whisker positions in a rat whisker pad. Single whiskers are marked in black, double whiskers in red as reported by Maier & Brecht (2018). No double whiskers were observed in elephants.