It looks as if the only depiction available of a crocodile attire is the one in exhibition at the British museum. Something worth to note is how they categorize the implement, first as a suit and, after in the text, as an " imposing armour comprising helmet and cuirass ". This is notoriously a figure of speech, as this most interesting apparatus is no armour, starting by having its opening on the center chest side. More plausible would be a priest, or equivalent, wearing this outfit in a cult cerimony; potentially acceptable that this attitude is is based on the same principle as religion; fear. I would rather use this plain term than Jim's apotropaism, for reasons connected with the vastitude of the late; thinking of Brazil, then Europe. Going deep into it, scholars even find it in (European) songs.
To say that, if crocodiles were inoffensive, they would hardly have a ranking place in local ritual stages. Whether Romans took the device with them back home, assuming that it would serve for cult rather than for trophy purposes, is for one's consideration; that not for illuminated historians.
All in all, pretending that the comparison in effect of this attire with that of the Panoleon cuirass, might well be subject to a serious judgement.
So, in my humble perspective, we may have not reached one only step towards finding what Panoleon's implement is about.
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