African spiny mouse joins a small but mighty group of bony plated mammals
Spiny mice can regenerate skin, muscle, nerves, spinal cord, and possibly cardiac tissue. Deposit Photos The armadillo is beloved for its ability to scrunch itself up in a ball with their protective flexible shells. They’ve long been considered the only living mammals with these reptilian and fish-like suits of bony or scaly armor instead of hairy mammalian skin. However, a study published May 24 in the journal iScience, shows that African spiny mice actually produce the same spiny structures beneath the skin of their tails, which has gone largely undetected by scientists. [Related: How science came to rely on the humble lab rat.] African spiny mice are small to medium sized rodents with spiny hairs on their upper body, large eyes and ears, and scaly tails. Some species are found in Egypt, other...