noun
- plural of ecdysis; the process of shedding or casting off an outer layer, especially the periodic shedding of skin, shell, or exoskeleton by animals such as snakes, insects, and crustaceans.
Usage: biology; zoology
Examples
- Snakes undergo multiple ecdysises throughout their lives as they grow.
- The lobster's ecdysises allow it to increase in size.
- Insects require several ecdysises before reaching their adult form.
- During ecdysises, crustaceans are particularly vulnerable to predators.
- The frequency of ecdysises varies depending on the species and environmental conditions.