2011/12/14 by Isabelle Dean, Michael T. Siva‐Jothy · 1 citation
Psychology · Medicine · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Animal and Plant Science Education #Dermatological diseases and infestations #Animal Behavior and Reproduction
paper · doi:10.1098/rsbl.2011.0987
openalex publication_date 2011/12/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/08
Although we are relatively naked in comparison with other primates, the human body is covered in a layer of fine hair (vellus and terminal hair) at a relatively high follicular density. There are relatively few explanations for the evolutionary maintenance of this type of human hair. Here, we experimentally test the hypothesis that human fine body hair plays a defensive function against ectoparasites (bed bugs). Our results show that fine body hair enhances the detection of ectoparasites through the combined effects of (i) increasing the parasite's search time and (ii) enhancing its detection.