endoskeleton
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.2|Endoskeleton of a swordfish
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- Overview
- Chordates
- Cephalochordates
- Vertebrates
- Echinoderms
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thumb|upright=1.2|Endoskeleton of a swordfish
An endoskeleton (from Ancient Greek ἔνδον (éndon), meaning "inside", and σκελετός (skeletós), meaning "skeleton") is a structural frame (skeleton) — usually composed of mineralized tissue — on the inside of an animal, overlaid by soft tissues. Endoskeletons serve as structural support against gravity and mechanical loads, and provide anchoring attachment sites for skeletal muscles to transmit force and allow movements and locomotion.