What is an exoskeleton?

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What is an exoskeleton?

An exoskeleton is an external skeleton that supports and protects the body from the outside, unlike an internal skeleton that sits inside the body. In arthropods like insects and crustaceans, this outside framework is the main support system and is typically made of chitin, a tough polysaccharide, often reinforced with proteins and minerals. Because it lies on the exterior, muscles attach to the inside surface of the exoskeleton, and growth requires shedding the old outer layer (molting). Cartilage is a flexible tissue found inside vertebrates and is not an external skeleton. A shell is simply an external covering in some animals and does not convey the idea of a skeletal system. So, an external skeleton composed of chitin best describes what an exoskeleton is.

An exoskeleton is an external skeleton that supports and protects the body from the outside, unlike an internal skeleton that sits inside the body. In arthropods like insects and crustaceans, this outside framework is the main support system and is typically made of chitin, a tough polysaccharide, often reinforced with proteins and minerals. Because it lies on the exterior, muscles attach to the inside surface of the exoskeleton, and growth requires shedding the old outer layer (molting). Cartilage is a flexible tissue found inside vertebrates and is not an external skeleton. A shell is simply an external covering in some animals and does not convey the idea of a skeletal system. So, an external skeleton composed of chitin best describes what an exoskeleton is.

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