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How do bony plates beneath reptile scales provide protection?

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A pangolin walks through grass with a blue circle around it and the word endangered written in white across the image. — Integument The pangolin is the only mammal in the world covered in scales.

Bony plates, known as osteoderms, provide protection by developing within the dermis—the layer of skin located just beneath the superficial epidermal scales.21

These plates often correspond in size and shape to the scales covering them, effectively reinforcing the skin. In some reptiles, these plates can form a continuous, rigid protective armor. For example, in turtles, these bony plates are highly developed and attach to the true skeleton to create a robust dermal skeleton. By providing this structural reinforcement, the bony plates serve as a defensive mechanism, helping to protect the animal from external threats.12