Thermal regulation, also known as thermoregulation, is the means by which an organism maintains its body temperature at a stable level in various climate conditions. There are several mechanisms by which an organism will regulate body temperature and furthermore, these mechanisms vary within taxonomic classes. Thermoregulatory mechanisms are as follows: endothermy, ectothermy, heterothermy, homeothermy and poikilothermy. In simpler terms, most people refer to animals as cold-blooded or warm-blooded, but this statement is inaccurate, as the blood of all of these animals are relatively the same temperature, it is the means by which the animal maintains its body temperature that is the difference.
The organisms of focus are within Class Reptilia, Order Squamata, or squamate reptiles. Squamate reptiles are commonly known as lizards, snakes, or amphisbaenians (legless lizards). These organisms have excellent methods to maintain body temperature and adaptations that provide the animal with tools for successful living in a wide range of environments. General characteristics of squamate reptiles are: keratinized scales, which aids to resist desiccation; uric acid excretion, which minimizes water loss; and are poikilothermic and ectothermic, meaning the animal will thermo-regulate based on its habitat and its body temperature will vary in response to ambient temperatures of the environment.
Thermal Regulatory Mechanisms
Endothermy is defined as the process by which an organism maintains its body temperature through metabolic regulation. It’s sort of like an internal “heater” for these animals. It serves to keep their body temperature stable in most environmental conditions. However, in extreme temperatures, the endothermi...
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...p from the previous night, changing body posture to increase surface area in contact with a hot rock surface to increase the rate of heat exchange, panting, limit activity and so on.
Although reptiles primarily use the environment for thermal exchange, there are physiological mechanisms that these animals do have to aid in thermal regulation. For example, changing skin color from a lighter shade of green to a dark shade of brown to increase absorption of heat. Reptiles can also shut down body processes and enter a state of dormancy in order to survive low temperatures or stressful environmental pressures. Reptilian dormancy is known as brumation and is similar to hibernation. Reptiles usually enter brumation in late fall when temperatures and day length decrease. They will sleep for months, however, they will wake up to drink water, but usually do not eat.
Fortunately, when making its descent of hundreds of metres, the Plesiosauroid would have been able to exploit traits possessed by many of the reptile class. Many reptiles hold the ability to temporarily slow their heart rate to reduce their oxygen consumption, via bradycardia. This effect may be caused by low temperatures, such as is found deeper in the ocean, or may be voluntarily triggered by the animal.
Endothermic animals, on the other hand, have relatively constant body temperatures. Their body temperature is independent of that of their external environment. Monkeys and walruses, for example, both have body temperatures of about 38„aC, despite living in very different habitats.
Metabolic rate is directly linked to the core temperature in an animal. An ectotherm, or cold blooded animal, warms its body mainly by absorbing heat from its surroundings. The amount of heat it derives from its metabolism is negligible. In contrast, endotherms derive most or all of its body heat from its own metabolism (Campbells,p899). Because ectotherms do not produce their own heat, they cannot actively ensure their ideal temperature for an ideal metabolic rate (aquacult.htp).
Maintaining normal core body temperature (normothermia) in patients within perioperative environments is both a challenging and important aspect to ensure patient safety, comfort and positive surgical outcomes (Tanner, 2011; Wu, 2013; Lynch, Dixon & Leary, 2010). Normorthermia is defined as temperatures from 36C to 38C, and is maintained through thermoregulation which is the balance between heat loss and heat gain (Paulikas, 2008). When normothermia is not maintained within the perioperative environments, and the patient’s core body temperature drops below 36C, they are at risk of developing various adverse consequences due to perioperative hypothermia (Wagner, 2010). Perioperative hypothermia is classified into three
Hypothermia is a common problem in surgical patients. Up to 70% of patients experience some degree of hypothermia that is undergoing anesthetic surgery. Complications include but are not limited to wound infections, myocardial ischemia, and greater oxygen demands. The formal definition of hypothermia is when the patient’s core body temperature drops below 36 degrees Celsius or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, the purpose of the paper is to synthesize what studies reveal about the current state of knowledge on the effects of pre-operative warming of patient’s postoperative temperatures. I will discuss consistencies and contradictions in the literature, and offer possible explanations for the inconsistencies. Finally I will provide preliminary conclusions on whether the research provides strong evidence to support a change in practice, or whether further research is needed to adequately address your inquiry.
Throughout the animal kingdom, adaptations take place continuously and even the smallest of changes can leave a significant impact. Examples can be seen within any plant or animal. One example would include sea turtles, specifically, the Loggerhead Turtles. These turtles are native to the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea (Deurmit L 2007). They thrive in either temperate or tropical climates and can live in a myriad of biomes (Deurmit L 2007). These biomes include the pelagic, reef, coastal, and brackish water (Deurmit L 2007). Loggerhead turtles are omnivores and can eat anything from insects to aquatic crustaceans, to macro algae (Deurmit L 2007). According to Deurmit (2007) Caretta caretta is classified into Animalia Kingdom, Chordata Phylum, Vertebrata Subphylum, Reptilian Class, Testudines’ Order,
Animal maintain their temperatures in many ways. There are physical and behavioural ways of regulating temperature. The physical methods include;
Homeostasis involves the whole body, but certain organs have larger roles in maintaining the balance. The liver and pancreas maintain suitable glucose levels in the blood, with kidneys removing metabolic waste products and maintaining suitable salt and water levels within the blood. The skin and liver help maintain body temperature with lungs controlling oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood and the blood itself transporting the nutrients and waste products around the body.
Therefore, this organism falls into the class Amphibian. The fourth organism has a regular body shape with bilateral symmetry and an internal skeleton. The organism has a fish-like body with
The Blue Mountains Water Skink is fairly long-bodied and slender lizard. It can reach sizes up to 200 millimeters and weigh up to ten grams. It's scales have a shimmery shine to them, with long stripes along its back and a multitude of pale yellow spots throughout the length of it's body. It also has a light underbelly, which contrasts against the darker scales on top.
The porpoise of these is to determine the Specific Heat. Also known as Heat Capacity, the specific heat is the amount of the Heat Per Unit mass required to raise the temperature by one degree Celsius. The relationship between heat and temperature changed is usually expected in the form shown. The relationship does not apply if a phase change is encountered because the heat added or removed during a phase change does not change the temperature.
At this moment, millions of animals know cold cages in laboratories as home, but why? Some of these animals are subjects for medical research purposes, while others are used out of pure curiosity and to test different products. The majority of these animals are used in painful experiments and are left in agony. While many of them die, a few animals survive, but these unfortunate ones wish they could be put out of their misery as well. Although scientists have resources they could use to lower the pain each animal endures and even alternatives for their test subjects, millions of innocent creatures are still suffering.
The Eastern Indigo Snakes’ population has been slowly declining. They have been endangered since 1971. By the time an Eastern Indigo Snake is three to five years old, they are matu...
There are approximately 70 different species of sea snakes, and five major types, including Hydrophiids, Laticaudids, Acrochordids, Homalopsids, and the Natricids. They account for 86% of marine reptile species inhabiting the waters. (All the Sea, 2001). They are venomous reptiles that live most of their lives in the sea and are so adapted to that environment that few species of sea snakes can crawl on land. Their eyes are small with most having nostrils that are located dorsally. Most species of sea snakes grow between 120-150 cm as adults and the largest, Hydrophis spiralis reaching up to 9.8 feet. Sea snakes have similar skulls to the snakes living on land, although they have shorter fangs and as many as 18 smaller teeth behind them in the mouth (Wikipedia, 2011). The scales among sea snakes vary between species. Unlike the terrestrial snakes that have imbricate (overlapping) scales to protect against abrasion, the scales of most sea snakes that dwell at pelagic depths do not overlap. Reef dwelling species however, have imbricate scales to protect against the sharp corals and other objects on the sea floor. The scales may be smooth, keeled, spiny or granular (Cyberlizard, 2002).
... These are cells that respond to heat. They are in the skin, and also in the hypothalamus, which is in the brain. All of these receptors enable the body to function and respond the way they do. (Miller and Levine)