Branched, bony structures that grow from the heads of male deer, elk, moose, and related animals. Unlike horns, antlers are shed and regrown annually and are used primarily for fighting during mating season.
From Old French 'antoillier' meaning the lowest branch of a deer's horn, derived from Latin 'ante-ocularis' meaning 'before the eyes.' The word evolved to refer to the entire branched structure by the 1300s.
Antlers represent one of the fastest-growing tissues in the animal kingdom, with moose antlers growing up to an inch per day during summer! They're made of solid bone and can weigh over 60 pounds, yet are completely shed and regrown every year in an incredible display of biological recycling.
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