Question

Relative to endoteherm, ectotherms usually have: (can be multiple answers)

a) fever Na/K+ ATPases per cell

b)lower blood sodium levels

c)more capillaries in their tissues

d)lower feeding rates

Answer 1

Relative to endotherm, ectotherms usually have:

Answer:

(A) Fewer Na/K+- ATPases per cell

(D) Lower feeding rates

At normal body temperature, ectotherms have several fold lower sodium ion influx than that of endoderms.

Under normal circumstances, cells of endotherms will have higher intercellular K+ concentration and to pump out excess Na⁺. Lower sodium influx of ectotherms is achieved by either lower turn over rate or lowering the numbers of Na+/K+ATPase but the latter is found predominantly. Endotherms have higher metabolic rate, are needed to maintain the body temperature according to external environment. It has been reported that the thermoregulation of endotherm is more precise when food is more abundant. Therefore, ectotherms have 10 fold lower energetic maintenance costs than that of endotherms.