In mammals, the skull forms a protective covering for the delicate tissues of the brain. It also houses the complicated structures of the inner ear and eyeball. The vertebral column protects the spinal cord. The rib cage in the thoracic region protects all the important organs of the thorax such ad the heart, the thoracic blood vessels and the lungs. Finally, the pelvic girdle protects the abdominal organs, particularly the urinary bladder and the reproductive organs of the female.
Besides protection, the skeletal framework also keeps the internal organs in a fairly fixed position in relation to one another.
In arthropods, the exoskeleton protects the whole body and prevents water loss from the body surfaces by evaporation. Many animals with shells, e.g. snails and clams, withdraw their whole bodies into their shells when danger threatens.
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