Homeothermy

Common card · No. 416572

Homeothermy, homothermy, or homoiothermy (from Ancient Greek ὅμοιος (hómoios) 'similar' and θέρμη (thérmē) 'heat') is a form of thermoregulation. Homeotherms maintain a stable internal body temperature, regardless of external influence. This temperature is often, though not necessarily, higher than their immediate environment. Homeothermy is one of the three types of thermoregulation in warm-blooded animals. It can be contrasted with poikilothermy, in which an organism's internal temperature fluctuates based on its environment and behaviour. Homeotherms are not necessarily endothermic. Some maintain consistent body temperatures through behavioural mechanisms alone. Many reptiles use this strategy; some desert lizards maintain near-constant activity temperatures that are often within a degree or two of being lethal. Other species, such as tropical or deep-sea fish, may achieve homeothermy by inhabiting environments with constant temperatures.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Arno / Coen, CC BY-SA 3.0