What term describes the hard, external protective covering found on the outside of the bodies of insects and many other arthropods, rather than an internal skeleton?

Explanation

An exoskeleton is a hard, external protective covering found on the outside of the bodies of insects and many other arthropods, providing structural support and physical protection, functionally serving a somewhat similar overall purpose to the internal skeleton found in vertebrate animals like humans. Because this rigid external covering does not naturally grow larger along with the animal’s body, arthropods with an exoskeleton must periodically shed, or molt, their old exoskeleton and grow a new, larger one to accommodate continued growth. This fundamental structural difference, having a skeleton on the outside rather than the inside, represents one of the most significant distinctions between arthropods and vertebrate animals. Explore more Everyday Science MCQs on mcqstutor to keep practicing.