Animals that can adjust their internal osmolality are known as?

Animals that can adjust their internal osmolality are referred to as osmoregulators. These organisms possess physiological mechanisms that enable them to maintain a consistent internal water and solute balance, regardless of changes in their external environment. This ability is crucial for their survival, especially in environments where the salinity of the water or the concentration of solutes may fluctuate, allowing them to function optimally despite these variations.

Osmoregulators, such as many freshwater and terrestrial animals, actively control their internal osmotic conditions by regulating the uptake and loss of water and solutes. This often involves complex systems within their kidneys or specialized glands that manage excretion and absorption processes.

In contrast, some animals, known as osmomconformers, do not actively regulate their internal fluid composition but instead allow it to fluctuate in accordance with the surrounding environment. Homeostats, while related to maintaining stable internal conditions, do not specifically refer to osmoregulation. Ectotherms are organisms that rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature and are not directly related to osmoregulation. Thus, the term that best describes animals capable of adjusting their internal osmolality is osmoregulators.