ecdyson
/ˈɛkdəˌsɑn/
noun
- A hormone that triggers molting (ecdysis) in insects and other arthropods.
- Scientists injected ecdyson into the caterpillar to study its effect on growth.
- Ecdyson levels rise just before the insect begins to shed its old skin.
- The discovery of ecdyson helped researchers understand how insects control their development.