What is an exoskeleton?
Q: What is an exoskeleton?
A: An exoskeleton is a structure that supports and protects an animal's body from outside, unlike internal endoskeletons found in human beings.
Q: What animals have exoskeletons?
A: Invertebrate animals, such as shelled mollusks, have exoskeletons in the sense of external hard parts. However, arthropods (insects, spiders, myriapods, and crustaceans) are the primary group in which an exoskeleton is referred to.
Q: What functional roles do exoskeletons have?
A: Exoskeletons contain rigid and resistant components that fulfill a set of functional roles including protection, excretion, sensing, support, feeding, and acting as a barrier against desiccation (for terrestrial organisms).
Q: When did exoskeletons first appear in the fossil record?
A: Exoskeletons first appeared in the fossil record about 550 million years ago.
Q: What role has the evolution of exoskeletons played?
A: The evolution of exoskeletons has been seen as critical in driving the Cambrian explosion of animals that took place after 550 million years ago.
Q: What is an exoskeleton suit?
A: An exoskeleton suit is a device intended to restore the lost motion functions of a person or other living being. It also serves to increase human muscle strength and range of motion by means of an external skeleton and drive elements.
Q: How do exoskeletons differ from endoskeletons?
A: Exoskeletons support and protect an animal's body from outside, while endoskeletons such as those found in human beings support and protect the body from inside.
