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Gigantothermy (sometimes called ectothermic homeothermy or inertial homeothermy) is a phenomenon with significance in biology and paleontology, whereby large, bulky ectothermic animals are more easily able to maintain a constant, relatively high body temperature than smaller animals by virtue of their smaller surface-area-to-volume ratio. [1]
In addition, mesotherm body temperatures tend to rise as body size increases (a phenomenon known as gigantothermy [3]), unlike endotherms. This reflects the lower surface area to volume ratio in large animals , which reduces rates of heat loss.
The evolution of homeothermy is a complex topic with various hypotheses proposed to explain its origin. Here are the most common hypotheses: Metabolic Efficiency Hypothesis: This hypothesis suggests that homeothermy evolved as a result of increased metabolic efficiency.
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.
Thermographic image: a cold-blooded snake is shown eating a warm-blooded mouse. Warm-blooded is an informal term referring to animal species whose bodies maintain a temperature higher than that of their environment.
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Various patterns of behavior enable certain ectotherms to regulate body temperature to a useful extent. To warm up, reptiles and many insects find sunny places and adopt positions that maximise their exposure; at harmfully high temperatures they seek shade or cooler water.
Allen's rule - Hare and its ears on the Earth [1]. Allen's rule is an ecogeographical rule formulated by Joel Asaph Allen in 1877, [2] [3] broadly stating that animals adapted to cold climates have shorter and thicker limbs and bodily appendages than animals adapted to warm climates.