Scute

Scute

A scute or scutum (Latin "scutum", plural: "scuta" "shield") is a horny, chitinous, or bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodiles, or the feet of some birds. They are similar to scales, but unlike the scales of fish, they are derived from the epidermis. The term is also used to describe the scales of some armored mammals, such as the armadillo and the extinct glyptodon, and is occasionally used as an alternative to scales in describing snakes or certain fishes, such as sturgeons.

The turtle's scutes in the carapace are the nuchal scute, neural or vertebral or central scute, marginal scute, and pygal or supracaudal scute. Those in the plastron are the epiplastron, entoplastron, hyoplastron, and hypoplastron.

Scutes are also a type of osteoderm.

The term "scutum" is also used in insect anatomy, as an alternative name for the anterior portion of the mesonotum (and, technically, the metanotum, though rarely applied in that context).

ee also

* Osteoderms
* Scale (zoology)
* Snake scales
* Keratin
* Skin
* Skeleton


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  • Scute — Scute, n. [L. scutum a shield, a buckler. See {Scudo}.] 1. A small shield. [Obs.] Skelton. [1913 Webster] 2. An old French gold coin of the value of 3s. 4d. sterling, or about 80 cents. [1913 Webster] 3. (Zo[ o]l.) A bony scale of a reptile or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scute — [skyo͞ot] n. [L scutum, a shield: see SCUTUM] Zool. 1. any external bony or horny plate, as on some fishes and many reptiles 2. any scalelike structure …   English World dictionary

  • Scute — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Le scute est un type de voilier ancien à fond plat ; Le scute (pour « carapace ») est un des gènes de la drosophile ; Le scute est en… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Scute (bateau) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Scute. Le scute de Blankenberge Le terme « scute » recouvre une famille architecturale de bateaux multitâches, bateaux de pêche ou de transport, côtiers …   Wikipédia en Français

  • scute — noun Etymology: New Latin scutum, from Latin, shield more at esquire Date: 1848 an external bony or horny plate or large scale …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • scute — an external shield like plate or scale, usually with a keel or spiny point e.g. bony plates along the body of Acipenseridae, sharp edged midventral scales of Clupeidae …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • scute — n. [L. scutum, shield] (ARTHROPODA: Insecta) An external scale …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • scute — /skyooht/, n. Zool. 1. a dermal bony plate, as on an armadillo, or a large horny plate, as on a turtle. 2. a large scale. [1350 1400 for earlier sense French coin, ÉCU ; 1840 50 for current senses; ME < L scutum shield] * * * …   Universalium

  • scute — noun a) A horny, chitinous, or bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle or the skin of crocodiles. b) A proneural gene, often associated with achaete, that is required for the formation of many larval and adult sense organs Syn:… …   Wiktionary

  • scute — A thin lamina or plate. SYN: scutum (1). [L. scutum, shield] tympanic s. the thin bony plate separating the epitympanic recess from the mastoid cells. * * * (skūt) [L. scutum shield] 1. any squama or scalelike structure. 2. tympanic s …   Medical dictionary

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