阅读材料: Endotherms are animals such as modern birds and mammals that keep their body temperatures constant. For instance, humans are endotherms and maintain an internal temperature of 37℃, no matter whether the environment is warm or cold. Because dinosaurs were reptiles, and modern reptiles are not endotherms, it was long assumed that dinosaurs were not endotherms. However, dinosaurs differ in many ways from modern reptiles, and there is now considerable evidence that dinosaurs were, in fact, endotherms. 恒温动物是指诸如现代鸟类和哺乳动物这种可以保持体温恒定的动物。比如,人是恒温动物,无论环境温度是怎样,体温都维持在37℃。因为恐龙属于爬行动物,而现代的爬行动物都不属于恒温动物,所以长期以来恐龙都被当做是变温动物。然而,恐龙在很多地方都同现在的爬行动物不一致。同时,现在有大量的证据表明恐龙其实是恒温动物。 Polar dinosaurs One reason for believing that dinosaurs were endotherms is that dinosaur fossils have been discovered in Polar Regions. Only animals that can maintain a temperature well above that of the surrounding environment could be active in such cold climates. 极地恐龙 主张恐龙属于恒温动物的原因是在极地发现了恐龙。只有能够很好维持体温的动物才能在如此寒冷的地方生存。 |