In this photo, the lizard seen here is basking in the sun for warmth because it is an ectotherm. Ectotherms are animals that rely on its environment's external sources of heat to regulate its internal body temperature, since they are unable to create heat internally like endotherms. Both endotherms and ectotherms need heat for energy and to perform cellular functions. Some examples of ectotherms are reptiles, like the lizard above, amphibians, invertebrates, and most fish. They warm up by "sunning", or absorbing the sun, and cool down under a shade.
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