Dinosaur Fossil Discovery: Scutes and a Skeleton in the Hill During a recent fossil excavation, the team came across an exciting and telling part of an ancient creature’s remains. Right at the surface of the dig, two scutes — thick, bony plates that formed protective armor in some dinosaurs — were found right next to each other. Such finds often signal that more of the animal lies beneath. As the excavation continued, a cluster of additional scutes became visible. These scutes appear semi-articu