molt
Cast off skin
Molt is what animals do when they shed old feathers, fur, skin, or shells to make way for new growth.
Birds molt their feathers seasonally; snakes molt their skin; crabs molt their shells as they grow.
The noun molt refers to the process or the material shed: The chicken coop was full of molt.
Also spelled moult in British English.
Boggy ground or cast-off skin
- exuviateShed external covering
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- furAnimal body hair
- skinBody's outer layer
scales · carapace · exoskeleton · chitin · peel · flaking · dander · castoff
Immature feeding stage
- pupaInsect's resting stage
- chrysalisPupal casing for metamorphosis
- caterpillarMoth or butterfly young
- cocoonSilk wrapping for transformation
nymph · imago · instar · emergence · transformation · adult stage · silkworm · butterfly
External skeletal structure
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- crabPincer-bearing shellfish
- lobsterLarge marine shellfish
- crayfishFreshwater pinching crustacean
shrimp · spider · tarantula · scorpion · insect · cicada · grasshopper · cockroach
Limbless scaled reptile
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- geckoClimbing lizard with toe pads
- iguanaLarge crested American lizard
- shed skinCast-off epidermis
scales · sloughing · spectacle · growth rings · python · boa · skink · chameleon
Arthropod developmental stage
- pupationMetamorphic encasement phase
- hormonesBloodstream signaling molecules
- procuticleInner exoskeletal layer
- growth stagePeriod of increasing size
Bird's lightweight covering
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- downToward lower ground
- contour feathersFeathers shaping bird outline
- flight feathersBird's main wing plumes
slough
Boggy ground or cast-off skin
skin · scales · carapace · exoskeleton · chitin · peel · flaking · dander · castoff · snake
larva
Immature feeding stage
- pupaInsect's resting stage
- chrysalisPupal casing for metamorphosis
- caterpillarMoth or butterfly young
cocoon · nymph · imago · instar · emergence · transformation · adult stage · silkworm · butterfly · moth
exoskeleton
External skeletal structure
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- crabPincer-bearing shellfish
- lobsterLarge marine shellfish
crayfish · shrimp · spider · tarantula · scorpion · insect · cicada · grasshopper · cockroach · beetle
snake
Limbless scaled reptile
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- geckoClimbing lizard with toe pads
- iguanaLarge crested American lizard
shed skin · scales · sloughing · spectacle · growth rings · python · boa · skink · chameleon · tortoise
instar
Arthropod developmental stage
- pupationMetamorphic encasement phase
- hormonesBloodstream signaling molecules
- procuticleInner exoskeletal layer
feathers
Bird's lightweight covering
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- downToward lower ground
- contour feathersFeathers shaping bird outline
- exoskeletonexoskeleton, chitin, cuticle, integument, procuticle
- mayfliesmayfly, mayflies, ephemera, imago, nymph
- zoologymammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects
- animal growthlife cycle, metamorphosis, larva, pupa, tadpole
- bird traitsfeathered, plumed, plumage, plumaged, beaky
- Insect Traitssix-legged, winged, antennae, exoskeleton, segmented
- molten metalHeated liquefied alloy
- molten glassHeated glass, workable state
- molten centerHot fluid interior
- molten steelLiquefied ferrous alloy
- molten lava cakeCake with runny interior
- molten rock