Heterothermic (Adjective)
Meaning
Of animals except birds and mammals; having body temperature that varies with the environment.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Many species of fish are heterothermic, meaning their body temperature is the same as the surrounding water.
- Turtles are heterothermic reptiles, so their metabolic rate increases or decreases with the ambient temperature.
- Unlike mammals, insects are heterothermic, relying on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature.
- Most reptiles are heterothermic, so their ability to be active is closely tied to the temperature of their environment.
- In general, heterothermic animals are at the mercy of the weather, since their metabolic processes slow down or speed up in response to the temperature around them.