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Exoskeleton and Endoskeleton Size Limits

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State

An exoskeleton must thicken sharply as body weight increases, since doubling size roughly increases weight eightfold, capping most exoskeleton-bearing animals at a small size; an endoskeleton scales more efficiently since muscles attach outside it.

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Insects and crustaceans stay small under their exoskeletons, while endoskeleton-bearing whales grow to enormous size.

Watch for

Molting lets an exoskeletal animal grow only in stages, not continuously.