Definition of exoskeleton in English:
exoskeleton
nounˈɛksəʊˌskɛlɪt(ə)nˌɛksəˈskɛlətn
Zoology A rigid external covering for the body in some invertebrate animals, especially arthropods.
Compare with endoskeleton
Example sentencesExamples
- The hard parts may be mineralized, as in the shells of bivalves, or composed of organic material, such as the chitin that makes up the exoskeleton of arthropods.
- Lobsters, like all animals with exoskeletons, periodically shed their armor as they grow.
- The advantage of an internal skeleton is that it allows the animal to grow much larger than is the case with the arthropod type exoskeleton.
- In these specimens the external surface of the exoskeleton is present, unless complete or partial exfoliation is noted.
- The trilobites comprise a major class-level clade of extinct marine arthropods characterized by calcareous, multisclerite, dorsal exoskeletons.
Derivatives
adjective
Zoology Mud crab exoskeletal remains were abundant in the scat of river otter of the upper Parker River estuary.
Example sentencesExamples
- One modification in trilobites might be that the selection was primarily for exoskeletal morphology rather than limb structure.
- They considered the specimen to be testate, but where the cranidium is broken on the right posterolateral corner, there is no sign of an exoskeletal layer.
- Both have sophisticated recognition abilities based on olfactory cues emanating from the exoskeletal cuticle.
- In this paper we report the discovery of a nearly complete trilobite fossil over 680 mm long that yields a reconstructed exoskeletal length of more than 720 mm.
Definition of exoskeleton in US English:
exoskeleton
nounˌeksəˈskelətnˌɛksəˈskɛlətn
Zoology A rigid external covering for the body in some invertebrate animals, especially arthropods, providing both support and protection.
Compare with endoskeleton
Example sentencesExamples
- In these specimens the external surface of the exoskeleton is present, unless complete or partial exfoliation is noted.
- The advantage of an internal skeleton is that it allows the animal to grow much larger than is the case with the arthropod type exoskeleton.
- Lobsters, like all animals with exoskeletons, periodically shed their armor as they grow.
- The trilobites comprise a major class-level clade of extinct marine arthropods characterized by calcareous, multisclerite, dorsal exoskeletons.
- The hard parts may be mineralized, as in the shells of bivalves, or composed of organic material, such as the chitin that makes up the exoskeleton of arthropods.