figurative. Applied to the buckler or any hard protective covering of an animal.

Applied to certain parts of animal bodies. Zoology. A protective plate covering a part; a scute, a carapace, a plastron, or the like.

The upper body-shell of tortoises, and of crustaceans. Extended to the hard case investing the body in some other animals, as certain Infusoria.

Anything shaped like an escutcheon. Zoology. A large scale or bony plate, a scute.

Zoology. A large scale or bony plate, forming part of the integument of certain animals, as the tortoise, armadillo, echinoderms, various fishes, etc.

= carapace, n.

Zoology. A marginal part or structure, usually one of a set; esp. (a) each of the plates along the sides of the arm of a starfish; (b) each of…

A bony plate in the skin, esp. of a reptile.