noun
- an animal whose body temperature varies with the temperature of its environment; a cold-blooded animal
Usage: biology; also called ectotherm
Examples
- Reptiles are poikilotherms that bask in the sun to warm their bodies.
- Fish are poikilotherms whose body temperature matches their aquatic environment.
- Unlike mammals, poikilotherms cannot regulate their internal body heat.
- Amphibians are poikilotherms that become sluggish in cold weather.
- The metabolic rate of a poikilotherm depends heavily on ambient temperature.
- Snakes, as poikilotherms, require external heat sources to digest food efficiently.