ectothermic
Definition of ectothermic
Words nearby ectothermic
MORE ABOUT ECTOTHERMIC
What does ectothermic mean?
Ectothermic describes an organism that regulates its internal temperature by exchanging heat with its surrounding environment.
Ectothermic organisms, or ectotherms, cannot produce heat on their own. They need heat from their environment to stay warm. For example, snakes are ectothermic. They will stay warm by laying on a warm rock or in the sunshine. Many types of amphibians, fish, and insects are also ectothermic.
Example: Because Vahe’s tortoise is ectothermic, he has to keep a heat light on it when the weather gets cool.
Where does ectothermic come from?
The first records of the term ectothermic come from around the 1940s. It combines the term ectotherm, meaning “a cold-blooded animal,” and the suffix -ic, which forms adjectives from nouns.
Along with ectothermic organisms, you might also hear about endothermic organisms, which create their own heat by consuming food. Some animals have properties of both endotherms and ectotherms and are sometimes called heterotherms. Bumblebees, for example, are ectothermic, but can create internal heat by rubbing their muscles against each other to generate friction.
You might hear cold-blooded for ectothermic and warm-blooded for endothermic. These are older terms that are used less often by scientists because they can be misleading. An ectothermic animal doesn’t necessarily have cold blood or isn’t necessarily cold. Instead, it’s just incapable of producing internal heat. Cold-blooded and warm-blooded are still used sometimes in casual conversations, but ectothermic and endothermic are the preferred scientific terms.
Did you know … ?
What are some synonyms for ectothermic?
What are some words that share a root or word element with ectothermic?
What are some words that often get used in discussing ectothermic?
What are some words ectothermic may be commonly confused with?
How is ectothermic used in real life?
Ectothermic is almost always used in scientific contexts.
#Snakes are ectothermic, or cold blooded, relying on environmental heat sources like warm rocks, soil or roads to stay warm. #NatureFacts
— Archived: USFWS Midwest Region (@USFWSMidwest) November 17, 2015
Since they don't sweat, a gym for snakes wouldn't smell bad, however it would have to be quite warm so that the snakes (ectothermic) could be active.
In conclusion, those are my two and literally only thoughts on the subject of a gym for snakes
— Ryan North (@ryanqnorth) August 20, 2018
To be honest, the weather has been so good for so long I'm considering becoming ectothermic.
— Jules Howard (@juleslhoward) July 13, 2018
Try using ectothermic!
Which of the following is a synonym for ectothermic?
A. endothermic
B. freezing
C. warm-blooded
D. cold-blooded