The aardwolf resembles a very thin striped hyena, but with a more slender muzzle, sharper ears, black vertical stripes on a coat of yellowish fur, and a long, distinct mane down the midline of the neck and back. The mane is raised during confrontations in order to make the aardwolves appear larger. The aardwolf is about 55 to 80 centimetres (22 to 31 in) long, excluding its bushy tail, which is about 20–30 centimetres (7.9–12 in) long, and stands about 40 to 50 centimetres (16 to 20 in) tall at the shoulders. An adult aardwolf weighs around 9–14 kilograms (20–31 lb). The front feet have five toes each, unlike the four-toed hyena. The teeth and skull are similar to those of the hyena, though smaller, and its cheek teeth are specialised for eating insects.