1. The cast-off skin, shell, or other outer covering shed by an animal during growth or molting.
Usage: Often used in plural form: exuvia; Common in zoology and biology contexts
2. Remains or relics of an organism, such as shells or skeletal fragments, found in sediment or rock.
Usage: Paleontology and geology term; Often used in plural form: exuvia

Examples

• The snake's exuvium was found coiled on a branch after the animal had grown too large for its skin.
• Paleontologists discovered exuvia of ancient arthropods preserved in the limestone deposits.
• The exuvium of the cicada clung to the tree bark, a hollow shell left behind after emergence.
• Marine biologists collected exuvia from mollusks to study growth patterns in the population.
• The museum displayed exuvia from various insects, showing the different stages of their development.
• Researchers examined the exuvia to determine the age and size of the organism before molting.