# scientific term/phrase for rhino horn?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-phrase-for-rhino-horn/836330>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 1, 2019, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-phrase-for-rhino-horn/836330 "2019-07-01T05:39:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-phrase-for-rhino-horn/836330/1 "2019-07-01T05:39:53Z")

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I’ve learned that rhino horn is not a true horn.

A true horn (like that of the antelope) has a bony core with a covering. The rhino horn is just the covering (keratin) without the bony core.

Is there a scientific term/phrase for the rhino’s horn?

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-term-phrase-for-rhino-horn/836330/2 "2019-07-01T20:04:50Z")

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In all the literature I scanned, it looks like it’s just called a horn. Comprised of “[horny keratins](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-662-00989-5_35).”