In biology , moulting or molting \ / ˈmoʊltɪŋ \ / , also known as sloughing , shedding , or for some species , ecdysis , is 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 the year , or at specific points in its life cycle .
Moulting ( or molting ) is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off part of its body ( usually the outer layer or covering ) at particular times of year , or at specific points in its life cycle .