For certain animal species, an exoskeleton is the hard outer layer that supports and shields the body.
Exoskeleton translates to “outside skeleton.” Exoskeletons are common in invertebrates or animals without backbones.
Most animals with exoskeletons are insects; others will be listed below in our blog post.
An animal’s exoskeleton breaks open and falls off as its soft body becomes too large for it.
We will examine a list of animals with exoskeletons, including the names and illustrations of animals whose skeletons are external to their bodies.
1. Rats
Rats are the first animal on our list with exoskeletons. They are parasitic arachnids from the subclass Acari that feed on other creatures.
Aquatic and terrestrial species feed on various substances, including plant matter, body parts, and skin flakes.
They are also known as herbivores and can survive only on blood. Distinct species can spread illnesses to one another.
2. Crabs
True crabs are crustaceans with five pairs of legs, though there are many kinds.
Because of their robust shells and clawed bodies, crabs can protect themselves and capture their prey.
They primarily reside on the seafloor, yet land crabs are also present, as few are swimmers.
3. Bees
Bees are a widely spread insect species. They are animals with exoskeletons crucial to the pollination process for thousands of plant species and are arranged in colonies with clear hierarchies.
We would probably perish as humans without them.
4. Aquatic Spiders
The aquatic spider is also an animal with an exoskeleton. Because of its eight legs, it is likened to terrestrial spiders, which use them for locomotion.
They may readily blend in with the seabed thanks to their long, slender limbs.
5. Coconut Crab
A symbolic creature of the Philippine islands of Batanes is the coconut crab. Other names for the coconut crab include palm thief and robber crab. In reality, coconut crabs scale coconut trees.
Then, to feed on the insides of the coconut, these animals with exoskeletons use their strong claws to crack open the fruit.
Their pincers can snap a finger off a hand. After molting their exoskeletons, coconut crabs consume them.
6. Europe Lobsters
The European lobster has a century-long lifespan and will keep growing during that time.
During their initial five to seven years of life, lobsters shed their exoskeleton around twenty-six times. Once that happens, the adult lobster will only molt twice a year.
7. Prawns
Live crayfish resting on a sheet of metal. Of the 500 species of animals with exoskeletons worldwide, more than 350 are found in the United States.
The crayfish, often called crawdads, resemble miniature lobsters. Rivers, streams, creeks, and other freshwater bodies are home to them.
They shed their exoskeletons to allow themselves to expand.
8. Cicada
A cicada’s first 17 years of life are spent living below the surface. As soon as it appears, the creature sets out to remove its exoskeleton.
After their shells shed, they mature into adults and are called nymphs.
Cicadas have short antennae, large eyes spaced widely apart, and membrane-covered front wings.
In most species, drum-like tymbals’ rapid buckling and unbuckling produce an incredibly loud song.
These animals with exoskeletons usually reside in trees, laying their eggs in a crack in the bark and feeding on the fluid sap of xylem tissue.
The tree they used to shed the exterior skeleton is still connected to the exoskeleton.
9. Bug Ladybird
A ladybird perched atop a daisy. Female ladybirds have a daily consumption limit of up to 75 aphids. In addition, they have a fondness for mealybugs, scale, and spider mites.
The exoskeleton of a ladybird is vivid red and has black spots. Its primary purpose is to protect the creature’s wings.
Typically, an insect’s wings are four times larger than its body. The ladybug’s exoskeleton likewise serves to hold its body together like that of a mammal’s endoskeleton.
10. Spiders
The spider family is related to mites, ticks, chiggers, and scorpions and is a member of the arthropod order.
Each of them has a two-part body covered in an exoskeleton. The abdomen and cephalothorax are those.
These animals with exoskeletons lack antennae, in contrast to insects. Every one of them has eight legs.
11. Brown Recluse
Despite its extraordinarily potent venom, the brown recluse’s fangs are remarkably small compared to most other spiders.
The brown recluse’s tendency towards seclusion is where the name originates.
They can be recognized by a violin-shaped mark on the upper surface of their exoskeleton. The fangs of the brown recluse are so small that they do not pierce clothing, and they bite.
12. Black Widow
The Black Widow, Latrodectus, is a dangerous, toxic Australian redback spider whose bites can be fatal.
Black widows are among the deadliest animals with exoskeletons on the planet and have a notorious reputation for eating their partners after a successful mating.
The robust exoskeletons of both men and females are made of protein and chitin.
13. Scorpion
The emperor scorpion defends itself from predators by exploiting its robust shell. Although its stingers are quite powerful, the scorpion mostly uses its claws.
The sting is similar to that of a bee and, given the size of the stinger, is not very unpleasant.
14. Snails
Every kind of snail has an exoskeleton, including a garden and enormous sea snails. As with all snails, the main line of defense is the shell.
They also serve as homes. Organisms can enclose themselves, much like turtles. Unlike many other animals with exoskeletons, the snail shell grows with the animal.
15. Clams and Oysters
Since many creatures with shells have delicate skin, their exoskeleton is their first defense against harm.
Although all we see of clams and oysters are slimy, oily little things, they have nerve systems, mouths, hearts, and stomachs.
16. Millipede
Its exoskeleton is the millipede’s best defense against anything that would gladly devour it. The bug coils into a ball when it feels threatened.
Their allure is diminished by this movement, which also highlights the benefits of the shell’s capacity to protect their delicate underbelly.
17. Centipede
Centipede is last on our list of animals with exoskeletons. The millipede’s protective shell is the same for centipedes. The venom of the centipede is used to kill its victim.
The venom doesn’t kill humans, though some species—like the Asian Forest Centipede—can inflict excruciating swelling. However, these animals with exoskeletons usually stay away from people.
