Endoskeleton vs. Exoskeleton

Main Difference

The main difference between Endoskeleton and Exoskeleton is that Endoskeleton is known as the toughest part, which is present in a body, whereas Exoskeleton is known as the toughest part which is present out of the body.

Difference Between Endoskeleton and Exoskeleton

Comparison Chart

Endoskeleton vs. Exoskeleton

Endoskeleton usually mentions the internal skeleton of the body, such as a cartilaginous skeleton or the bony skeleton of the vertebrates. On the other hand, exoskeleton mentions the exoskeleton or bone armor of the body, like the arthropod’s chitinous skeleton. The endoskeleton is composed of phosphorus and calcium; on the contrary, the exoskeleton is composed of the chitinous cuticle, scales, or calcified shells.

The endoskeleton is located inside the organism’s body; on the flip side, the exoskeleton is located outside the organism’s body. The endoskeleton is found in higher vertebrates; on the other hand, the exoskeleton is found in arthropods.

The endoskeleton is normally made up of bones and cartilages, while the exoskeleton is typically made up of chitin or mostly calcium compounds. The endoskeleton is considered as a living structure, whereas exoskeleton is considered as the non-living structure.

The development of the endoskeleton takes place from the endoderm; on the contrary, the development of exoskeleton takes place from the ectoderm. The endoskeleton normal grows with the growth of the body; on the flip side, the exoskeleton has to be shed with time because it usually does not grow with the growth of the body.

The flexibility of the endoskeleton is considered more than the exoskeleton, while the exoskeleton is considered less flexible. The endoskeleton provides a specific structure for the attachment of muscles to the body; on the other hand, the exoskeleton provides a structure in which the wings of insects are joined with the exoskeleton through muscles.

The endoskeleton protects from predators by moving away with the use of their muscles, which are attached to their bones, while animals having exoskeleton protected themselves from their predators by using skeleton modifications such as camouflage colors or spines.

The endoskeleton of vertebrates takes a long time to recover with cartilage, and then bone being placed; on the other hand, the exoskeleton can be recover or replaces quickly by using chitin and protein, or by using deposited calcium carbonate. The endoskeleton contains a blood supply, whereas the exoskeleton does not have this case.

What is Endoskeleton?

The internal bony or cartilaginous skeleton of the animal is known as an endoskeleton. All vertebrates consist of the endoskeleton, for instance, amphibians, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

To serve as the internal support system in the animal’s body is the main function of the endoskeleton. The endoskeleton is considered more flexible than the exoskeleton, and it mainly provides protection and support to the internal organs.

The endoskeleton is typically composed of bones and cartilages, and also contains blood supply. The endoskeleton of vertebrates takes a long time to recover with cartilage, and then bone being placed.

The endoskeleton is composed of bones and cartilages such as in cartilaginous fishes; it is made up of cartilages except for bones. The bone comprises concentric circles of bone cells known as osteoblasts, and calcium phosphate is present in the composition of its extracellular matrix.

What is Exoskeleton?

The skeleton which is present outside of the body, such as the chitinous skeleton of arthropods, is known as an exoskeleton. The arthropods mainly consist of an exoskeleton such as Chilopoda, insects, crustaceans, Diplopoda, arachnids.

The exoskeleton is also helpful in providing protection and support to the internal organs of the body. The insect’s wings are joined directly by their muscles with the exoskeleton. Though, the exoskeleton sheds many times during the lifetime of an organism in a process known as molting because it does not grow with the growth of the body.

The exoskeleton is also present on mollusks in the form of hard, outer protective covering, which is made of calcium compounds except for chitin. The reptiles, including turtles, contain a hard exoskeleton like mollusks. The reptiles and mollusks do not shed their exoskeleton during their growth and development.

Conclusion

The above discussion concludes that the endoskeleton and exoskeleton are the two specific types of hard structures that provide animal structural support. The endoskeleton is known as the internal skeleton of an animal, which is composed of calcium and phosphate, whereas the exoskeleton is the outer region/skeleton of an animal, which is composed of chitin.