Scaled Animals - Names, Photos and Trivia

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 8 August 2021
Update Date: 22 June 2024
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Vertebrate Animals for kids: Mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles
Video: Vertebrate Animals for kids: Mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles

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In the world there are animals with all kinds of physical characteristics. Wings, barbs, large eyes, claws and prehensile tails. Scales, hairs, and feathers, just to mention a few, are mechanisms that each species must develop in its environment and that, in turn, differentiate them from other specimens.

do you know the scale animals? It is often wrongly thought that only fish have them, so PeritoAnimal presents this list with names and trivia on different species with scales. Keep reading!

what are scales

When you think of scales, surely the first thing you remember are fish, right? However, they are not the only animals that have scales. But, before talking about them, what are scales? Each scale is a rigid structure that grows on the animal's skin to fulfill different functions. According to the type of animal they belong to, they have different shapes and cover the entire body or just some areas.


The scales are made up of different organic and inorganic compounds and fabrics, such as dentin, vitrodentin, cosmin, ganoin, calcium salts, collagen, keratin, among others. The shapes they adopt vary, from circular, similar to diamonds or spatulas, toothed, small and large, etc.

Fish, reptiles, arthropods, birds and mammals may have scales. Next, we tell what are the characteristics of animals with scales.

Characteristics of scaled animals

Depending on the family to which they belong, the characteristics of animals with scales are different:

fish scales

fish are animals with dermal scales, which are formed in the mesoderm, one of the cell layers that make up embryos. Fish with scales need them to fulfill their function of offering resistance to water currents and providing protection. In fish, the main feature of the scales is to protect the entire body, and they are flexible rather than hard. Thanks to this, they are able to move easily.


scaled reptiles

Do reptiles have scales? Yes, they are animals with epidermal scales that cover the entire body. One of the differences in relation to fish is that reptile scales are more rigid and also have bony scales under the epidermis, called osteoderms. Thanks to these characteristics, reptile skin is tough and resistant.

birds with scales

Although it may seem strange, birds also have scales, but they don't cover the entire body.As you know, the main characteristic of birds is the presence of feathers, but there is an area of ​​the body free from them: the paws. In birds, scales are made of keratin, the same component as their beaks, spurs and claws. Depending on the species, they can be found on the toes and tarsi, or extend to the ankle joint, with which the entire foot is covered with scales.


scaled mammals

There are few species of mammals with scales, but those with scales are among the terrestrial scale animals. Among the mammals that have them, the best known are the pangolins (genus Manis), which have a skin covered with large, hard scales. Also, the kangaroo muskrat (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) and the fake flying squirrels (family anomaluridae) have scales on the tail.

scaled arthropods

Although they are imperceptible to the naked eye, arthropods of the order Lepidoptera (like butterflies and moths) have small scales covering their wings. These scales give the color of the wings and allow you to insulate from the cold or regulate the effect of the sun's rays.

As you can see, several species have these protective structures on their skin. Thinking about it, it is worth asking: do amphibians have scales? The answer is no, as the main characteristic of amphibians' skin is its slimy texture.

Below, we present different animals with scales, examples and characteristics.

Names and examples of scale animals - With pictures!

Below is a complete list of 10 animals with scales and so you can learn to recognize them, we'll show you your photos:

1. Great white shark

O White shark (Carcharodon carcharias) It is one of animals with scales and fins. It is one of the most popular types of sharks thanks to horror movies. It is distinguished by its large size and a powerful jaw that contains two rows of serrated and sharp teeth.

The white shark's scales are hard and sharp, providing excellent protection. The fins, in turn, are located on the sides of the body, two smaller on the tail and the well-known fin that protrudes from the back.

2. Pangolin

Under the name of pangolin, there are several species that belong to the folidot order (Pholidot). They are mammals found in Africa and Asia, so they are animals with scales and lungs. Pangolins are insectivorous animals that feed on ants and termites, which they capture with their sticky tongue, like the anteaters.

The body of the members of this species is characterized by presenting thick and hard scales that cover almost the entire surface except the muzzle, paws and abdomen. These scales are composed of keratin and serve as protection, as they curl up on their own body against the threat of predators.

3. Serpent

Serpents belong to the order of ophidian. They are characterized by having an elongated, legless body, a forked tongue, flat head (in most species) and large eyes. There are almost 3,500 species and they are distributed all over the planet, except in the Arctic and Antarctic areas.

The entire skin of snakes is covered with scales, which can have different colors that help them to camouflage with the environment. In addition, the very hardness of the scales helps them move through the ground.

4. Butterfly

Butterflies belong to the order of Lepidoptera (Lepidoptera) and are popular for the multitude of color combinations their wings feature. What few people know is that these wings are formed by small and thin plates, so they are among the animals that have scales and wings, besides being insects.

Each scale measures a thousandth of a millimeter. assume various functions, among them: providing the characteristic color of each species by reflecting light, serving as an eye-catching element during mating or as camouflage against predators, and regulate temperature.

Also find out in PeritoAnimal which types of butterflies are.

5. Crocodile

Among the scaled reptiles are crocodiles (crocodylid), what inhabit the rivers of America, Asia, Africa and the coasts of part of Australia. It is a species that has inhabited planet Earth for a long time, as it first appeared during the Eocene and its morphology underwent few changes.

The crocodile's skin is covered by hard and rough scales. Thanks to them, it is able to accumulate heat during the day, so it is common to see them lying in the sun. When the temperature drops at night, they enter the aquatic environment to take advantage of the stored heat.

6. Woodpecker

Under the name of woodpeckers, several species of birds of the order Piciformes are included. They can be found almost all over the world and their distinguishing feature is the way they reach the trunks of trees with their beaks, an action they perform with the aim of feeding themselves. Like other birds, the paws of the woodpeckers they are covered with overlapping scales.

7. Iguana

The iguana belongs to the reptile and family genus. Iguanidae. It is one of the most popular scale animals in the world. It is distributed throughout most of Latin America, including Central America and part of the Caribbean. The skin of iguanas may show varied colors, from different shades of green to brown and lead gray.

The different species have in common, however, the presence of scales of different types. The iguana's skin is covered with small, hard, rough scales. Likewise, they have ridges or peaks of different sizes on the back, which are classified as tubercular scales.

8. Steller's Sea Eagle

THE Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) is a bird found on the shores of lakes and rivers in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and parts of Russia. Is bird of prey and it is characterized by having a black plumage with stripes on the chest, head and back, while the feathers and part of the legs stand out for their white color.

As for the scales, they are found on the legs and precede the powerful claws. They draw attention for their intense yellow color, the same as the eagle wears in its beak.

9. Pineapple fish

The pineapple fish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) is a unique fish of its kind that inhabits the waters around Australia and its island territories, where lives on the reefs. The scales of the pineapple fish are the ones that give it its name, as each one is large, in addition to being hard and sharp at the tip. In addition, the species has a yellow-colored body with a brown pattern.

10. Moth

We've finished the list of scaled animals with the moths, lepidopterans very common to see at night, when they perform most of the activities of their life cycle. They are distributed in cities all over the world. Like butterflies, moths have tiny scales on its wings, flexible and fragile. These scales give them their characteristic color and, at the same time, allow them to regulate their body temperature in order to survive.

Now that you know more about animals that have scales, be sure to check out this other article about blue animals.

If you want to read more articles similar to Scaled Animals - Names, Photos and Trivia, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.