placoid scales
Denticles on sharks
Placoid scales are the small, tooth-like structures covering the skin of sharks and rays.
Each scale has a bony base embedded in the skin and a backward-pointing spine of enamel-like material, giving sharkskin its characteristic rough texture.
Unlike the overlapping scales of bony fish, placoid scales don't grow larger—more are simply added as the animal grows.
- sharkCartilaginous marine predator
- great whiteLarge predatory marine fish
- cartilaginousComposed of flexible connective tissue
- dermalOf the skin
- sandpaperAbrasive-coated finishing material
rough · enamel · ray · skate · abrasive · shark skin · skin · texture · jawless · armor · streamlined · hydrodynamic · spiny · gritty · ancient · primitive · calcified · marine
- scalesweight, measure, balance, beam balance, pan balance
- teethteeth, incisors, incisor, canine, canines