subadult pelage

The term "subadult pelage" refers to the coat of a young mammal that is not yet fully adult. After birth, mammals first develop a fine, downy hair called lanugo, which is shed before or shortly after birth. This is followed by vellus hair, which covers most of the body. At puberty, terminal hair, which is coarser and more pigmented, develops in certain areas. The juvenal pelage is the first coat of a young mammal, typically fine like an adult's underfur, and is replaced by a postjuvenal molt. This juvenal pelage is then succeeded by either the adult pelage or a subadult pelage, which may not be significantly different from the adult coat.12

Pelage, the hairy covering of a mammal, serves crucial functions including insulation, protection from injury, and aiding in species recognition, concealment, or attracting mates. The structure of hair itself, composed of keratinized cells, originates from the epidermis and is associated with sebaceous glands that lubricate it.31