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StupidPencil t1_itpbsxb wrote

Reply to comment by daysofbreeze in How hard were ancient arthropod exoskeletons? by TrillCozbey

I thought chitin is more on the soft side and mixing it with other appropriate proteins makes it stronger.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sclerotin

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GeriatricZergling t1_itvj3kx wrote

This is correct. Plus, it's possible to mineralize exoskeletons as well. Crustaceans do this for most larger species, but some insects can as well.

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