What are the main functions served by the insect exoskeleton?
Answer
Support, protection, and muscle attachment
The exoskeleton acts as the insect's external support system, provides rigid protection against physical threats and environmental stress, and serves as the surface to which internal muscles attach.
Related Questions
What structural framework provides support and shape for a vertebrate like a dog or human?What substance constitutes the primary material of an insect's exoskeleton?What are the main functions served by the insect exoskeleton?What specific process must an insect undergo periodically to achieve an increase in body size?How does an insect deliver oxygen efficiently to its internal tissues?How is the circulatory system of insects characterized when compared to vertebrates?Where do the muscles of an insect anchor themselves to facilitate movement?What must an insect immediately do after shedding its old shell to expand the new, underlying structure?What trade-off explains why arthropods dominate small sizes while vertebrates dominate large sizes?What term refers to the hardened external plates covering the head, thorax, and abdomen sections of an insect?