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An ectotherm (from the Greek ἐκτός (ektós) "outside" and θερμός (thermós) "heat"), more commonly referred to as a "cold-blooded animal", [1] is an animal in which internal physiological sources of heat, such as blood, are of relatively small or of quite negligible importance in controlling body temperature. [2]
The common frog is a poikilotherm and is able to function over a wide range of body core temperatures.. A poikilotherm (/ ˈ p ɔɪ k ə l ə ˌ θ ɜːr m, p ɔɪ ˈ k ɪ l ə ˌ θ ɜːr m /) is an animal (Greek poikilos – 'various', 'spotted', and therme – 'heat') whose internal temperature varies considerably.
Cold-blooded animals are often limited by external temperatures, which can affect their ability to hunt, escape predators, and carry out other essential activities. Homeothermy could have provided a selective advantage by allowing animals to be active for longer periods of time, increasing their chances of survival.
Heterothermy or heterothermia (from Greek ἕτερος heteros "other" and θέρμη thermē "heat") is a physiological term for animals that vary between self-regulating their body temperature, and allowing the surrounding environment to affect it.
Birds, especially waders, often have very well-developed heat exchange mechanisms in their legs—those in the legs of emperor penguins are part of the adaptations that enable them to spend months on Antarctic winter ice. [9] [10] In response to cold, many warm-blooded animals also reduce blood flow to the skin by vasoconstriction to reduce ...
However, endothermic homeotherms (generally referred to as "warm-blooded" animals) not only produce more heat but also possess superior means of retaining and regulating it compared to other animals. They exhibit a higher basal metabolic rate and can further increase their metabolic rate during strenuous activity.
More broadly, the researchers argue, tracking wildlife is important in understanding the unpredictable ways animals adapt to that changing planet — and a vital tool for ecology in the future ...
A cold weather strategy is to temporarily decrease metabolic rate, decreasing the temperature difference between the animal and the air and thereby minimizing heat loss. Furthermore, having a lower metabolic rate is less energetically expensive. Many animals survive cold frosty nights through torpor, a short-term temporary drop in body ...