Ectothermy

Most reptilian species, such as the Trandoshans, were ectothermic.

"Maybe I shouldn't have used the term cold-blooded. It's more correct to say that the creature is an ectotherm. You, on the other hand, are an endotherm—sometimes called a warm-blooded animal."

―4B-X

Ectothermy was the physiological ability of some creatures to maintain their body temperatures by absorbing heat from their environment. It was also colloquially referred to as cold-bloodedness, although that term could be misleading—at least one individual interpreted it literally, thinking that an ectothermic creature's blood was frozen solid. The opposite of ectothermy was endothermy. A vast majority of reptiles, such as the Trandoshans or the flying lizards of Da'nor, were cold-blooded organisms, although there were exceptions such as the Ssi-ruuk or the duuvhals. When the weather was too cold for his or her taste, an ectothermic being became torpid and experienced a decrease of his or her intellectual capacities. If no external source of heat was provided in time, that situation could degenerate gradually until death ensued. To,conserve their energy and avoid getting cold during the night, some species like the dewbacks insulated themselves in huddled groups.

Appearances

• Star Wars Science Adventures: Journey Across Planet X

Sources

• Galaxy Guide 4: Alien Races
• Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies
• Alien Encounters
• The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide
• "Cydon Prax" (original article link) on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)