Everything about Molt totally explained
In
biology,
moulting (or
molting, also known as
shedding or for some species,
ecdysis) signifies the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body (often but not always an outer layer or covering), either at specific times of year, or at specific points in its life-cycle.
Molting can involve the
epidermis (skin),
hair or
fur, or other external layer. In some species, other body parts may be shed, for example,
wings in some
insects. Examples include old
feathers in
birds, old
hairs in
mammals (especially
dogs and other
canidae), old
skin in
reptiles, and the entire
exoskeleton in
arthropods.
Examples
| Species |
Item shed |
Timing |
Known as |
Notes |
| Dogs and other canids |
Hair (Fur) |
Semi-annually, spring and fall |
Shedding |
Seasonal temperature variations influence shedding; some shed all year, some shed specifically twice a year. |
| Snakes |
Skin |
Regularly, when old skin is outgrown |
Molting |
|
Specific species notes
Birds
In
birds, moulting is the periodic replacement of
feathers by shedding old feathers while producing new ones. Feathers are dead structures at maturity, and they become gradually worn down and need to be replaced. Adult birds moult at least once a year, though many moult twice, and a few three times. Because feathers make up 4-12 percent of a bird's body weight, it takes a large amount of energy to replace them. For this reason, moults are frequently timed to occur right after the breeding season, but while food is still abundant. The plumage produced during this time is called postnuptial plumage.
Canidae
Dogs and other
canids routinely shed their fur twice a year, in the spring and fall.
Seasonal temperature variations influence shedding; some shed all year, some shed specifically twice a year.
Reptiles
The most familiar example of moulting in
reptiles is when
snakes "shed their skin". This is usually achieved by the snake rubbing its head against a hard object, such as a rock (or between two rocks) or piece of wood, causing the already stretched
skin to split. At this point, the snake continues to rub its skin on objects, causing the end nearest the head to peel back on itself, until the snake is able to crawl out of its skin, effectively turning the molted skin inside-out. This is similar to how you might remove a
sock from your
foot by grabbing the open end and pulling it over itself. The snake's skin is often left in one piece after the moulting process. Conversely,
lizards' skins fall off in pieces.
Arthropods
In
arthropods, such as
insects,
arachnids and
crustaceans, moulting is the shedding of the
exoskeleton (which is often called its
shell), typically to let the organism grow. This process is called
ecdysis. Ecdysis is necessary because the exoskeleton is rigid and can't grow like
skin. The new exoskeleton is initially soft but hardens after the moulting of the old exoskeleton.
Further Information
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