Scales are made of keratin, the same stuff as your fingernails and hair. Big, plate-like scales are called scutes (skoots). Here is what scales do, and some of the strange forms they take. They protect the body from scrapes and bites, and they keep water in, which matters a lot in a desert. They hide the animal. Scale colors blend in with the surroundings, and bumpy or ragged scales break up the animal's outline. They can change color. Some reptiles have special cells called chromatophores that shift color quickly for camouflage, for signaling, or to soak up more sun. The big scutes on a crocodile's back act like solar panels.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
