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endoskeleton
endoskeleton
Noun
pl: endoskeletons
This term describes a structural framework located within the body, contrasting sharply with an exoskeleton, which serves as an external shell. It evokes an image of internal scaffolding that grows with the organism, allowing for greater size and flexibility than external armor would permit.
In biological discourse, the word is used with a clinical, descriptive tone. It is most frequently encountered in zoology and anatomy when discussing the evolutionary advantages of internal support systems in vertebrates and certain invertebrates.