All insects have a hard skeleton on the outside of their body called an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is acellular, which means that it is not made up of cells. The outer layer of the exoskeleton is called the cuticle, which allows insects to hold water inside themselves. Young insects molt, or shed, their exoskeleton so that they can grow into an adult. The exoskeleton of insects supports their body and helps to protect them from bumps and scrapes.

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