Exoskeleton

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The discarded exoskeleton of a dragonflynymph

An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton (endoskeleton) of, for example a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers and cockroaches, and crustaceans such as crabsand lobsters. The shells of the various groups of shelled mollusks, including those of snails, clams, tusk shells, chitons andnautilus, are also exoskeletons.