Body armour guards against dehydration, not just predators

Introduction: Research by Chris Broeckhoven (UAntwerp) reveals function of lizards' scales. Crocodiles, armadillos, turtles and many other animals are equipped with scales -a kind of body armour. It is generally accepted that the main purpose of this shield is to protect them from predators. Research at UAntwerp has shed a different light on this, however. "For lizards, in particular, we found that scales are linked to the availability of water in the habitat," says Chris Broeckhoven. Many animals have a type of body armour. This protection can take various forms: there is body armour with and without spines, and sometimes it consists of osteoderms, which are hard, bony plates located in the skin under the scales.