Being
ectothermic organism, reptiles depend on its external environment to regulate its body temperature.
Blood feeding patterns of potential arbovirus vectors of the genus Culex targeting
ectothermic hosts.
They feed principally on
ectothermic vertebrates, especially frogs, lizards and small snakes; however, they are known to prey on invertebrates (e.g.
Elasmobranchs are
ectothermic, K-selected marine fishes, which makes them vulnerable to overfishing, so understanding how they evaluate and select habitats becomes essential for protecting these species from over exploitation.
Comparing melanosomes of 181 extant specimens, 13 fossil specimens and all previously published data on melanosome diversity, the researchers found that living turtles, lizards and crocodiles, which are
ectothermic (commonly known as cold-blooded), show much less diversity in the shape of melanosomes than birds and mammals, which are endothermic (warm-blooded, with higher metabolic rates).
This is because unlike those animals, which can generate their own heat internally (endothermic), insects must rely on external sources to provide their heat (
ectothermic).thus; insects have evolved a number of strategies to deal with the rigours of winter temperatures in places where they would otherwise not survive.
Bohme, M., (2003): The Miocene Climatic Optimum: evidence from
ectothermic vertebrates of Central Europe.
Ectothermic (also known as poikilothermic) animals control their body temperature (~22[degrees]C) by means of external heat sources and include both invertebrates (all arthropods, including insects, worms, crustacea, and their relatives) and lower vertebrates (fish, amphibians, and reptiles).
Lee, "Commentary: avoidance and tolerance of freezing in
ectothermic vertebrates," Journal of Experimental Biology, vol.
These microclimates are crucial for
ectothermic animals, such as the lizards.
It is possible that this is not applicable in fish due
ectothermic characteristic in the majority of species.
Ranaviruses are emerging pathogens of
ectothermic vertebrates.