Eyelashes - eyelashes (English spelling)

Japanese: まつ毛(睫) - まつげ（英語表記）eyelashes

Some mammals have hairs on the upper and lower eyelids that grow longer along the edge of the eyelid than the others, forming a row. They are also called eyelashes. For example, in cats, dogs, raccoon dogs, and palm civets, a few hairs on the edge of the eyelid are sporadically slightly longer than the others, and do not form a row, so they cannot be said to have eyelashes. In rabbits, however, the hairs on the rear part of the edge of the eyelid grow slightly longer and form a short row that can be called eyelashes. Eyelashes prevent dirt from getting into the eyes and also seem to be useful for blocking sunlight, and they tend to develop in animals that have adapted to grasslands and deserts, and in the most evolved groups within each lineage, regardless of their lineage.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

一部の哺乳類の上下のまぶたに生えている毛のうち，まぶたの縁に沿ったものが，他の毛より長くなり，列を形成したもの。睫毛（しようもう）ともいう。たとえばネコ，イヌ，タヌキ，ハクビシンなどでは，まぶたの縁の毛のうち数本が散発的に他よりやや長いだけで列をなさず，まつ毛があるとはいえないが，ウサギでは，まぶたの縁の後半部の毛がやや長く伸びて，まつ毛といえるほどの短い列を形成する。まつ毛は目にごみが入るのを防ぐほか，日差しを避けるのにも役立つらしく，系統に関係なく，草原や砂漠に適応したものや，それぞれの系統のなかで最も進化したグループに発達する傾向がみられる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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