What do you call an animal that changes its shell for a larger size?

Question

Such as a snail or other creature that must seek a larger home when it outgrows the old one. What is the scientific term for these animals or the name of the activity of changing one's shell?

Answer 1

The process is called molting. It's carried out by most invertebrates that have exoskeletons(Insects, arachnids, crustaceans, etc.). Snails don't shed their shells, their shells grow with them.

Hermit crabs are the only organisms that I know of that seek out a brand new shell.

Answer 2

The animal is called a hermit crab. However, the shell it outgrows is not actually "its" shell. Hermit crabs find empty shells from snails that have died, and take up residence in the snail shell. Naturally the shell doesn't grow with the crab, as it originally did with the snail, so when the crab grows too large for the shell it is presently using, it finds another empty snail shell that is larger, and quickly transfers into the new shell.

Answer 3

Arthropod

Answer 4

hermit crab

Answer 5

crustaceans?