Scale (zoology)
small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin
- For other uses of the word "scale" see scale (disambiguation)
In zoology, a scale is a small, hard plate that grows out of an animal's skin to give it protection. Fish and reptiles have scales.
Scales of a snake, close up
In animals such as butterflies and moths, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing. They are often beautifully coloured.
