"Unveiling the Hidden Defense: African Spiny Mice's Secret Armor"

African spiny mice, previously thought to lack armor like other mammals, have been found to possess bony plates called osteoderms beneath their tail's skin. The discovery was made during routine CT scanning of museum specimens, and the osteoderms were confirmed to be similar to those of armadillos but likely evolved independently. Spiny mice also possess the unique ability to regenerate injured tissue without scarring, making them a potential model for human tissue regeneration. The osteoderms in spiny mice and fish-tale geckos may function as an escape mechanism, detaching from the tail when attacked by predators.