An _____ is an outer covering that supports the soft inner tissues in an arthropod.
arthropod
coelenterate
echinoderm
exoskeleton
invertebrate
exoskeleton
The main part of the mollusk's body is called the _____ mass.
medusa
crust
tail
visceral
polyp
visceral
An exoskeleton is an outer covering that supports the soft inner tissues in an arthropod.
To determine the correct answer, we can break down the question and examine the options provided.
1. Arthropod is a broad classification of animals that include insects, crustaceans, and arachnids. While arthropods do have an exoskeleton, this term does not specifically refer to the outer covering that supports the inner tissues.
2. Coelenterate refers to a phylum that includes jellyfish, sea anemones, and corals. Coelenterates do not have an exoskeleton.
3. Echinoderms are a phylum of marine animals such as sea stars and sea urchins. While echinoderms have a hard internal skeleton composed of plates or spines, they do not have an exoskeleton.
4. Exoskeleton is the correct answer. An exoskeleton is an external skeletal structure that provides support and protection to the soft tissues of arthropods. It is made of a tough, rigid substance called chitin.
5. Invertebrate is a term that refers to animals without a backbone. While this term includes arthropods, it does not specifically describe the outer covering that supports the inner tissues, which is the exoskeleton.
Therefore, the correct answer is exoskeleton.