Warm-blooded
Warm-blooded (Pronunciation: /wɔːrm ˈblʌdɪd/)
Warm-blooded, also known as endothermy, is a term that describes animals that can maintain a body temperature independent of the environment. The term "warm-blooded" is a colloquial term and not typically used in scientific literature, where "endotherm" is preferred.
Etymology
The term "warm-blooded" is derived from the Old English words "wearm" meaning warm and "blod" meaning blood. The term was first used in the 14th century to describe animals that maintain a constant body temperature.
Definition
Warm-blooded animals, or endotherms, use internally generated heat to maintain a stable body temperature, often higher than the surrounding environment. This is achieved through metabolic processes in the body's cells.
Examples
Examples of warm-blooded animals include mammals like humans, dogs, and cats, and birds like eagles and penguins.
Related Terms
- Endotherm: A warm-blooded animal that maintains its body temperature by metabolic means.
- Ectotherm: An animal that is dependent on external sources of body heat.
- Homeotherm: An organism that maintains its body temperature at a constant level, usually above the temperature of its surroundings, by its metabolic activity.
- Poikilotherm: An organism whose internal temperature varies considerably. It is the opposite of a homeotherm.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Warm-blooded
- Wikipedia's article - Warm-blooded
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski