tachymetabolism


tachymetabolism

the pattern of thermal physiology in which an animal possesses a relatively high BASAL METABOLIC RATE and is able to respond to a fall in CORE TEMPERATURE with an increase in REGULATORY HEAT PRODUCTION to maintain homoiothermy Most tachymetabolic species are continually both homoiothermic and endothermic. The only extant (living) forms with this physiology are the birds and mammals.