armadillo shell
Natural mammalian plating
The hard, bony covering that protects an armadillo's body, composed of overlapping plates called scutes.
The shell is distinctive for allowing the animal to curl into a ball when threatened.
Figuratively, an armadillo shell suggests defensive armor or emotional protection: She retreated into her armadillo shell whenever criticism came.
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
- platesFlat eating dishes
- keratinStructural hair protein
- protectiveServing to guard
- bonyThin, with protruding skeleton
segmented · leathery · scutes · defensive · curl · ball · texture · ridged · prehistoric · living fossil · tank · hide · tough · fossil · mammal · burrow · desert · Texas
armadillo shellturtle shell
Reptile's bony covering
feathers · scales · soft skin · tortoise shell · soft underbelly
armadillo shellexposed skin
armadillo, shell, armadillos, shells, shelled, shelling, shellfish, eggshell, seashell