What scales would real mers have?

[Arella]

What kind of scales do you guys think a "real" mer would have? Big ones that protect them but restrict their movement [like in carp] or teensy ones that would let them bend and move quickly [like in minnows]? Would they be a Ganoid shape like in bony fish or more of a Cycloid shape like you typically see on tails? Would they have more than one type of scale? Personally I like tarpon like scales but would they really be realistic on a mermaid? What do you guys think?

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[PearlieMae]

My opinion is that they would have none at all...more dolphin than fish. If we had scales, we would have no need for breasts because we wouldn't be mammals. (A subject I could wax on about until we all wanted kill me!)

On the other hand, in the mythical mermaid sense, I would think cycloid - salmon live in the ocean but return to fresh water to spawn. I like to think mers would, too.

[Nrcoa]

I agree with PearlieMaw, real mermaids would be like underwater apes with no hair (Animal Planet actually did a really cool docu-fiction on what mermaids would be like!).

However, just because an animal has scales (or scale-like structures) doesn't mean they aren't mammals. For instance- pangolins! I think mermaid scales would actually be more like pangolin scales, not fish scales. They're great armor against predator teeth, plus they have the bonus of being scales from an actual mammal.

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[PearlieMae]

Whoops! (I didn't know about those critters!) AND armadillos! I was thinking more sea-life.

Actually, human body hair grows in a hydrodynamic pattern, so it can be likely to be furry and water-dwelling.

[Nrcoa]

I was thinking armadillo armor doesn't have enough movement for a mermaid? It's so long, but maybe it it were smaller it might help.

That's actually really cool about human hair. Or maybe they would have hair as infants then loose it, like dolphins and whales?

[Arella]

I guess I should have specified lol I meant if we're going more for the bottom half fishy (non-mammalian) and top half mammalian. I agree if you're really going for 100% realistic I think it would be more of a manatee sort of texture.

[Odette]

All of them! They are fish. Ganoid is your diamond shape mermaids that is common for prehistoric fish and cycloid and ctenoid are for more common fish today. my tail is ctenoid (because my edges are a little rough). All scales are appropriate for movement. Scales also grow. While dissecting fish for the wildlife center I also saw that none are perfectly round and some vary in size depending on where they are on the body so movement isn't any issue with swimming. If you mean speed, then that's different.
I like the look of all the scales. I love variety on mermaids.
Tarpons are beautiful!

[Nrcoa]

Well, in that case, I'd say cycloid. Mermaids would probably rely on smarts and agility more than armor.

[SINicallyTwisted]

I tend to fancy reptilian scales. :)

[Echidna]

I tend to fancy reptilian scales. :)
:thumbs-up:

same!
snakes have scales and are very manoeverable, so I'd go with those.

realistically speaking, no scales. either dolphin- or seal-like skin.
ancient humans thought everything living in water (including whales & dolphins) were fish, so if they saw some divers, they'd probably go "look, a human-fish!!" and depict him/her with a scaled tail for good measure.

tail-wise speaking, you could use any scale type and look good. :)

[Echidna]

just to emphasize; this is a medieval dolphin depiction

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now imagine they saw a naked woman diving somewhere, especially when their own women (and men) would never set foot near water, not to mention be unable to swim.

what do you think the depiction result would look like? ;)

[MarkF]

I think you need to open up to the possibilities. First you already have scales, on the ends of your fingers and toes. So because you don't need spots on your blood cells to have scales I'd go back to what shape and how large.
As for the breasts, why would you scales on your upper body, your mermaids. I do think some accents of color would be cool.
Sea mammals skin "dolphins" skin is 10+ times thicker than that of land critters so you have a great completion, not a wrinkle on ya.
Personally I like the larger overlapping. I wonder if there would be scales envy,
"They get everything, because they have golden scales"

[Arella]

Maybe the cetinoid? That's more of a middle ground between ganoid and cycloid?

[MarkF]

what color?

[Mermaid Wesley]

I think silver like most open water fish. Maybe some blue.


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[MarkF]

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Like this

[Ilyena]

I'd love to have a tail with the Placoid scales ^_^

[PearlieMae]

How about scales like these?
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[MarkF]

Looks perfect for Pearlie-Ma
Mighty Pearlie

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Red dragon scales with gold highlights.

[MarkF]

K, I've given it real thought "Can't sleep".
Cycloid- because carp have them and their is such a variety of colors, can be larger in size, very durable. Like the Silver Mermaid Melissa above this post
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[Arella]

I think light white/silver/pearlescent on the bottom and blue on the back.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Nothing. We'd be like naked mole rats LOL

[Cadence]

This is such an interesting topic! The scales would probably depend on how mermaids came into being: if they evolved from a hominid or other mammal then they would probably be scale-less; if they evolved from fish or reptiles and developed human-like features, then they might have scales all over. If they were created by a higher power then anything's possible!

[Mermaid Aglaia]

I think a real mermaid would lika a dolphin because the skeleton form a human have rudimentary tailbones (coccyx) and whales have rudimentary legs.
So i think a real Mermaid doesn't have scales and a smooth skin.

[MarkF]

I think Mermaids shied their tails and expose their legs. It quickly grows back over when they get in the water.

[Aziara]

This is a really cool thread! Since I always have been fond of pointy scales, I guess I'm gonna go with Ganoid, like a garfish. Those would also work with being a mammal and having live 'scale mail' like a pangolin.

[MarkF]

Have you ever seen a Arowana. Check it out for shadings. These fish are in the 3' range.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Fish+Arowana&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Xg-8U8K3JMXooASw4oGoDw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=537
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[AptaMer]

I deffo want shark scales!