Ectothermic, from the Greek ectos, "outside" and therme, "heat," (sometimes confusingly known as "cold-blooded") refers to organisms that control body temperature through external means. As a result, organisms are dependent on environmental heat sources[1] and have relatively low metabolic rates.[2] For example, many reptiles regulate their body temperature by basking in the sun. Many ectotherms are more specifically poikilothermic.[2]
See also
Notes
- ^ Jay M. Savage ; with photographs by Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden. (2005). The amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica : a herpetofauna between two continents, between two seas. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press. p. 409. ISBN 0226735389.
- ^ a b Milton Hildebrand; G. E. Goslow, Jr. Pprincipal ill. Viola Hildebrand. (2001). Analysis of vertebrate structure. New York: Wiley. p. 429. ISBN 0471295051.
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