Matt WillemsenSpiny mice have armadillo-like armor in their tails
Osteoderms are rare in mammals
The spiny mouse is an unassuming rodent, but it’s armed with a very special tail.
CT scans show the tail is sheathed in a secret blanket of bony plates. Before the scans, only one other group of modern mammals was known to wield this kind of armor: armadillos.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/spiny-mice-armadillo-armor-tails #spinymice #tail #osteoderm #bony #plates
Osteoderms are rare in mammals
The spiny mouse is an unassuming rodent, but it’s armed with a very special tail.
CT scans show the tail is sheathed in a secret blanket of bony plates. Before the scans, only one other group of modern mammals was known to wield this kind of armor: armadillos.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/spiny-mice-armadillo-armor-tails #spinymice #tail #osteoderm #bony #plates
