Is it be possible for creatures to make use of other metals, besides or in conjunction with calcium or chitin, as part their endo or exo-skeleton?

Hypothetically there is a large-ish planet, which is extremely dense due to its high metal content. This planet has relatively high gravity as a result. The fauna and flora have adapted to the high gravity by incorporating various suitable abundant metals into their structures and ligatures. I was imagining plants would extract the metals to have strengthened stems, trunks, and leaves. The animals of the planet would then take in the metals in a useful form from the plants.

I figured arthropods would be the most common land animal type and could grow large in the rich high density atmosphere. But there are evolved extremophile humanoids and some other small warm blooded squeaky things.

If the metals appear naturally in a correct form, would it be possible that carbon based life would use it in its skeletons and structurally in tendons, connective tissue? Or is calcium, strotium, etc. just in too much of a sweet spot to be competed with?

posted about 5 years ago

Luck‭

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