What material entirely composes the two horns of the *Ceratotherium simum*?
Answer
Densely compacted keratin fibers
The horns of the white rhinoceros are unique structures composed entirely of densely compacted keratin fibers. Keratin is the same resilient structural protein that constitutes human hair and fingernails. Crucially, these are not true horns as seen in bovids, which feature an internal bony core, nor are they antlers. Since the horns grow directly from the skin, they are not attached to the skull itself, resting instead upon underlying bone pedicels. This composition allows them to be continuously growing structures capable of regenerative growth even if broken.
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