moulting
Casting off covering
Moulting is the British spelling of molting—the process by which animals shed old feathers, fur, skin, or shells to make way for new growth.
Birds moult seasonally, snakes moult their entire skin, and crustaceans moult their exoskeletons as they grow.
The parrot is moulting and looks rather ragged.
Profound biological restructuring
- larvaImmature feeding stage
- pupaInsect's resting stage
- nymphNature spirit or larva
- imagoInsect's final form
caterpillar · instar · chrysalis · tadpole · froglet · development · maturation · transformation
Discarded item or person
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- cuticleDead skin at nail base
- arthropodsJointed-limb invertebrates
- crustaceansExoskeleton-bearing aquatic arthropods
insects · instar · carapace · chitin · cicada · lobster · crab · tarantula
Plates or weighing devices
Bird's complete feather coat
- downToward lower ground
- quillsHollow defensive animal spikes
- pinfeathersDeveloping feathers still sheathed
- preeningGrooming with vanity
barbs · coverts · flight feathers · contour · rachis · vane · keratin · fledge
metamorphosis
Profound biological restructuring
imago · caterpillar · instar · chrysalis · tadpole · froglet · development · maturation · transformation · stages
castoff
Discarded item or person
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- cuticleDead skin at nail base
- arthropodsJointed-limb invertebrates
crustaceans · insects · instar · carapace · chitin · cicada · lobster · crab · tarantula · hermit crab
scales
Plates or weighing devices
snakes · lizards · papery · renewal · gecko · python · skink
plumage
Bird's complete feather coat
- downToward lower ground
- quillsHollow defensive animal spikes
- pinfeathersDeveloping feathers still sheathed
preening · barbs · coverts · flight feathers · contour · rachis · vane · keratin · fledge · wing
regeneration
Biological self-repair process
- growthIncrease in size
- replacementWhat takes another's place
- seasonalRecurring at fixed intervals
annual · cyclical · hormonal · stress · nutrition · recovery · regrowth · fresh · new growth · spring
- sheddingfeather loss, fur loss, hair loss, pet hair, instar
moultingretaining
Holding onto still
keeping · maintaining · holding · preserving
moultingregenerating
Forming anew after loss
sprouting · feathering · regrowth · regrowing · growing
peeling, shedding, molten, molt, molting, molts, exfoliation, molted, moult