What process involves the periodic replacement of the reptilian integument to allow for growth?
Answer
Shedding or ecdysis
The skin covering of lizards, composed of dry, keratinized scales, cannot stretch indefinitely to accommodate growth. Therefore, lizards must periodically replace this outer layer in a process known formally as ecdysis, commonly referred to as shedding. The manner in which this shedding occurs is variable among species; some lizards may slough off their entire skin layer at once, a process likened to removing a sock, while others shed their skin in multiple, large pieces. This biological necessity ensures that the protective covering remains functional throughout the lizard's life cycle.
Related Questions
What specific structure fuses with scales to armor the Gila monster?What features separate legless lizards from snakes, despite superficial resemblance?What structure replaces the original vertebrae in a regenerated lizard tail following autotomy?What physical trait aids many lizards in faster solar radiation absorption?How are the teeth of most lizards generally described regarding shape similarity?Which species represents the massive end of the lizard size spectrum described?What is the believed purpose of the parietal eye located on top of a lizard's head?What results from the typical positioning of lizard limbs to the side of the body?What process involves the periodic replacement of the reptilian integument to allow for growth?What specialized physical characteristic is shared between lizards and snakes within the order Squamata?What happens to the tail's structure when a lizard regenerates it after autotomy?