premolt

noun

pre·​molt ˌprē-ˈmōlt 

variants or less commonly pre-molt

: the period before an animal molts its skin, exoskeleton, shell, etc.

Secretion of a crustacean's new exoskeleton begins during premolt while the animal is still stuffed inside the old one, filling available space to capacity.

—Mark W. Denny and Steven Dean Gaines

premolt adjective

or less commonly pre-molt

the premolt phase

premolt tarantulas

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above