Question

Distinguish between the following:

Ectotherms and Endotherms.

Answer 1

Sr. No.	Ectotherms	Endotherms
1.	These are cold-blooded animals.	These are warm-blooded animals.
2.	Ectotherms do not possess the ability to generate sufficient heat to keep them warm, thus their body temperature varies with their surroundings	Endotherms do possess the ability to generate heat and keep them warm, thus they can maintain constant body temperature.
3.	They are also known as poikilothermic.	They are also known as homeothermic.
4.	They are affected by changes in environmental temperature	They remain unaffected by changes in environmental temperature.
5.	E.g. Most of the fishes, amphibians, reptiles	E.g. Birds, mammals

Answer 2

1. Ectotherms are cold-blooded animals whose body temperature varies with the environmental temperature and cannot regulate it internally.
2. Endotherms, on the other hand, are warm-blooded animals that maintain a relatively constant internal body temperature by physiological means regardless of the external environment.