Abstract
Osteoderms are mineralized plates found within the skin of many reptiles, as well as some amphibians and mammals. They have received little attention – other than limited analyses of histology in lizards and function in crocodiles – and there is a common assumption that they are morphologically and functionally conservative However, our pilot studies have suggested that they represent a strikingly unusual and functionally important tissue type. The project will focus on osteoderms in lizards with the overall aim of understanding osteoderm form and function within the group.
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