Description

Late Triassic

Chinle Formation

Northwestern New Mexico, USA

Fine 1.25 inch scute.

Reptile.

The defensive armor of some extinct and modern reptiles is composed of numerous individual scutes.  Single specimens are often not distinctive enough to identify to genus or family, especially in Triassic terrestrial deposits in which a number of groups bear very similar scutes, but they are interesting specimens to add to a collection.