Question

11. In terms of thermoregulation, why would you expect an ectothermic poikilotherm that regulates using behavior to lack insulation in its integument?

a) Poikilotherms lack the proteins to produce integument

b) Integument would prevent the organism from using conduction and radiation to regulate its body temperature

c) Integument would be metabolically expensive to maintain

d) None of the above. Most reptiles have insulator scales.

Answer 1

b)integument would prevent the organism from using conduction and radiation to regulate its body temperature.

In poikilotherms ,their body temperature changes with that of external temperature and they donot maintain a constant body temperature like in homeotherms.and they dont use metabolic energy to maintain body temperature so to change their body temperature with surrounding there should be connection between their body and environment for heat exchange. If they have an insulatory integument then there will be no heat exchange(by conduction or radiation) between body and environment so that their body temperature will not change with surrounding and they should use metabolic energy to maintain it.