molter
Currently shedding creature
A molter is an animal in the process of shedding its outer covering—feathers, skin, fur, or exoskeleton.
Birds are molters when replacing plumage, snakes when sloughing skin, crabs when outgrowing their shells.
The term applies during the active molting period: The aviary separates molters from the rest of the flock.
Boggy ground or cast-off skin
- exuviateShed external covering
- shedCast off naturally
- sloughingDiscarding dead outer layers
- peelOuter fruit layer
flaking · castoff · husk · scales · skin · keratin · epidermis · dermis
Pincer-bearing shellfish
- lobsterLarge marine shellfish
- crayfishFreshwater pinching crustacean
- shrimpSmall edible crustacean
- cicadaLoud singing insect
tarantula · scorpion · exoskeleton · instar · nymph · larva · chitin · carapace
Biological self-repair process
- regrowthGrowing back again
- transformationThorough change in form
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
seasonal · periodic · replacement · growth · development · maturation · adaptation · rejuvenation
slough
Boggy ground or cast-off skin
peel · flaking · castoff · husk · scales · skin · keratin · epidermis · dermis · deciduous
crab
Pincer-bearing shellfish
cicada · tarantula · scorpion · exoskeleton · instar · nymph · larva · chitin · carapace · crustacean
regeneration
Biological self-repair process
- regrowthGrowing back again
- transformationThorough change in form
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
cycle · seasonal · periodic · replacement · growth · development · maturation · adaptation · rejuvenation · rebirth
snake
Limbless scaled reptile
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- geckoClimbing lizard with toe pads
- chameleonLizard altering its pigmentation
tortoise · herpetology · carapace · scute · scales · python · boa · iguana · skink · viper
feathers
Bird's lightweight covering
pinfeathers · breeding plumage · contour · quill · seasonal · waterfowl · songbird · raptor · penguin · parrot
- molted skinAnimal's discarded outer covering