turtle shell
Natural portable fortress
A turtle shell is the hard protective covering that encases a turtle's body, consisting of fused bone and keratin plates.
The term extends to anything resembling this structure: a turtle shell hairclip, a turtle shell pattern.
Figuratively, to retreat into one's turtle shell is to withdraw defensively from social interaction.
- plastronVentral shell portion
- bonyThin, with protruding skeleton
- scutesHorny epidermal plates
- carapaceProtective dorsal exoskeleton
- protective coveringMaterial shielding from damage
natural armor · protection · keratin · chelonian · armor · vertebrae · tortoise · camouflage · predator defense · reptilian · exoskeleton · thermoregulation · ossification · hexagon · jewelry · folklore · Native American · mossy
- bony armorscutes, carapace, plastron
- sea turtleshawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, flatback, hatchlings
- shells & casingsconch, clam, oyster, mussel, scallop
- Pacific motifshibiscus, plumeria, tiki, palm tree, lei
- Turtlesterrapin, tortoise, cooter, slider, loggerhead
- Hard Tissuebone, enamel, dentin, skeleton, skull