1836, from French carapace "tortoise shell" (18c.), from Spanish carapacho or Portuguese carapaça, which is of uncertain origin, perhaps somehow from Latin capa (see cape (n.1)).

Structure formed by posterior and lateral extension of dorsal sclerites of the head in many Crustacea, usually covering and/or fusing with one or more thoracic somites; considered as arising from a fold of head exoskeleton. Also a dorsal sclerotized plate often covering the idiosoma of acarines. The dorsal portion of the shell of a turtle. Formed f [..]

A carapace is a dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids as well as vertebrates such as turtles and torto [..]

  Top part of the shell of the crab.

 the shield-like covering that protects the top of the cephalothorax.

(n) hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as arthropods and turtles

hard, protective outer case or shell that covers the back or part of the back of an animal (as in a turtle or a lobster).

Hard or chitinous covering or shield protecting the body of the animal, such as a crab.

An exoskeletal shell that covers the head and at least some of the thorax. Synapomorphy of the Branchiopoda+Maxillopod

The shell covering the back (top) of a turtle, crab, or other animal.

The protective bony shell covering the back part of a crab.

first segment of spider's body

The shield like structure that covers the anterior portion of some crustaceans.

The upper part of a tortoise or turtle shell.

A typically hard external skeleton that protects an organism.

A bony or hard shell that covers part or all of an animal. Turtles, crabs, and boxfish are good examples.

, in Crustacea, a hard dorsal covering consisting of the fused dorsal sclerites (T-B; Borror et al.); in adult Chelonus

A hard shell covering the back of an animal, such as a crab or turtle.

Hard shell of crustaceans.

A hard shell-like upper covering that protects the bodies of animals such as tortoises and turtles.