Poikilothermic

Pronunciation
/poik-il-o-THERM-ik/
Category
Physiology
Singular
Poikilotherm
Plural
Poikilotherms

Definition

Cold-blooded animals; animals (including insects) that lack an internal temperature regulation system, and so tend to have body temperatures that mirror the temperature of their environment.

Etymology

From Greek 'poikilos', meaning 'various' or 'diverse', and 'thermos', meaning 'heat'.

Example

Poikilothermic insects are often active in warmer temperatures.

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