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exoskeleton

File:Dragonfly-nymph-exoskeleton.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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exoskeleton

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thumb|Discarded exoskeleton (exuviae) of [[dragonfly nymph]] thumb|Exoskeleton of cicada attached to a [[Tridax procumbens (colloquially known as the tridax daisy)]]

AI overview

An exoskeleton is a hard outer shell that covers the bodies of certain animals, like insects and dragonflies. Animals shed their exoskeletons as they grow, leaving behind the discarded shells you might find in nature.

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Dragonfly-nymph-exoskeleton.jpg
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Commons category
Exoskeletons (biology)
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6 sections
Contents
  • Role
  • Growth
  • Paleontological significance
  • Evolution
  • See also
  • References

thumb|Discarded exoskeleton (exuviae) of [[dragonfly nymph]] thumb|Exoskeleton of cicada attached to a [[Tridax procumbens (colloquially known as the tridax daisy)]]

An exoskeleton () is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. that of a human) which is enclosed underneath other soft tissues. Some large, hard and non-flexible protective exoskeletons are known as shell or armour.

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