Poikilotherm refers to an organism with a variable body temperature that tends to fluctuate with and is similar to or slightly higher than the temperature of its environment, being a cold-blooded organism.
Poikilotherm se refiere a un organismo cuya temperatura corporal varía y tiende a fluctuar con la temperatura de su entorno, siendo un organismo de sangre fría.
| Word | poikilotherm |
|---|---|
| Date | November 30, 2006 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | poi-KEE-luh-therm |
| Etymology | Poikilotherms are also called "ectotherms" or "cold-blooded animals." Such creatures are the thermoregulatory opposites of "endotherms" or "homeotherms" -- better known to most of us as "warm-blooded animals" -- which are able to maintain a fairly high and constant body temperature relatively independent of the temperature of the surroundings. "Stenotherms" are creatures that can survive only within a very narrow temperature range. The "-therm" in all of these terms comes from the Greek "thermē," which means "heat." |
| Examples | The environment controls the body temperature of poikilotherms, although they can heat and cool themselves by moving in and out of the sun. |
| Definition | : an organism (as a frog) with a variable body temperature that tends to fluctuate with and is similar to or slightly higher than the temperature of its environment : a cold-blooded organism |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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