Final answer:
Ectothermic animals regulate body temperature through behavior, while endothermic animals use circulatory system adaptations, such as countercurrent heat exchange, to maintain body temperature. This allows them to survive in extreme environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ectothermic animals, such as reptiles, use changes in behavior to regulate body temperature in a hot and dry environment. They seek cooler areas during the hottest part of the day and climb onto rocks in the evening to capture heat on cold desert nights. This behavior helps them avoid getting too warm or too cold.
Endothermic animals, such as birds and mammals, use their circulatory systems to help maintain body temperature. Vasodilation brings more blood and heat to the body surface, facilitating heat loss and cooling the body. Vasoconstriction reduces blood flow in peripheral blood vessels, forcing blood towards the core and conserving heat. Some animals have adaptations, like countercurrent heat exchange, that enable them to transfer heat from arteries to veins, warming blood returning to the heart. This helps them regulate body temperature in extreme environments.
Overall, the benefit of hyperthermia and body temperature cycling for animals in a hot and dry environment is that it allows them to regulate their body temperature and avoid overheating or getting too cold, which helps support their metabolism and survival.