Glossary

exoskeleton

External skeleton, often forming a hard, shell-like outer covering typical in insects, crustaceans and some molluscs. Usually chitinous but may also be composed primarily of calcium carbonate or silica.

Related terms

arthropod
Any member of the phylum Arthropoda, these being characterised by a (usually) chitinous exoskeleton and segmented body to which jointed appendages are attached in pairs. Arthropods include the insects, crustaceans, arachnids, myriapods, and extinct trilobites, and comprise the largest phylum in the animal kingdom.
chitin
Nitrogen-containing polysaccharide which forms the principal constituent of arthropod exoskeletons and the cell walls in some fungi.
chitinous
Composed of or resembling chitin.
crustacean
Any member of the predominantly aquatic arthropod grouping Crustacea which currently contains almost 70,000 recognised species, including all crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. It's difficult to define their characteristics since the group is of arguable hierarchical status, generally regarded to represent either a Phylum or Subphylum.
durophagous
Feeding on hard-shelled or exoskeleton-bearing organisms such as molluscs.
mollusc
Any member of the invertebrate phylum Mollusca.
skeleton
In vertebrates, the internal structure composed of bone and/or cartilage that supports the soft tissues and protects the internal organs.

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