noun
- Animals whose body temperature varies with the temperature of their environment; cold-blooded animals.
Usage: plural of poikilotherm; technical/scientific term; commonly used in biology and zoology
Examples
- Reptiles and amphibians are poikilotherms that depend on their environment to regulate body temperature.
- Fish are poikilotherms, so their metabolism slows down in cold water.
- Unlike mammals, poikilotherms do not maintain a constant internal body temperature.
- Snakes and lizards are examples of poikilotherms found in deserts.
- The activity level of poikilotherms increases significantly on warm days.
- Scientists study poikilotherms to understand how temperature affects animal behavior.