noun
- animals that regulate their body temperature primarily through external heat sources rather than internal metabolic processes
Usage: biology; plural form
Examples
- Reptiles and amphibians are examples of ectotherms.
- Ectotherms often bask in the sun to warm their bodies.
- Fish are ectotherms that depend on water temperature for body heat.
- Unlike mammals, ectotherms cannot generate heat internally.
- Many ectotherms become sluggish in cold weather.
- Desert ectotherms seek shade during the hottest part of the day.