poikilotherm

(noun)

An animal that varies its internal body temperature within a wide range of temperatures, usually as a result of variation in the environmental temperature.

Related Terms

Examples of poikilotherm in the following topics:

  • Homeostasis: Thermoregulation

    • A poikilotherm is an organism whose internal temperature varies considerably.
    • Poikilotherm's internal temperature usually varies with the ambient environmental temperature, and many terrestrial ectotherms are poikilothermic.
    • Poikilothermic animals include many species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles, as well as birds and mammals that lower their metabolism and body temperature as part of hibernation or torpor.
    • The reptile is also a poikilotherm because it can withstand a large range of temperatures.

  • Characteristics of Reptiles

    • In addition to being ectothermic, reptiles are categorized as poikilotherms: animals whose body temperatures vary rather than remain stable.

  • Phylum Chordata

    • Regulation of body temperature: animals are either homeothermic (can regulate their internal temperature so that it is kept at an optimum level) or poikilothermic (cannot regulate their internal temperature, the environment affects how hot or cold they are)