What are vibrissae?

Whiskers or vibrissae are a type of mammalian hair that are typically characterised, anatomically, by their long length, large and well-innervated hair follicle, and by having an identifiable representation in the somatosensory cortex of the brain. They are specialised for tactile sensing. Vibrissae grow in various places on most mammals, including all primates except humans.