( ( Like ( all reptiles ) ) ( , ( tuatara ( ( ( ( are ectothermic ) , ) ( ( ( ( meaning ( that ( ( their ( body temperature ) ) ( fluctuates ( according ( to ( the ( environmental temperature ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) , ) ( rather than ) ) ( being ( maintained internally ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (PP (IN Like) (NP (DT all) (NNS reptiles))) (, ,) (NP (NN tuatara)) (VP (VBP are) (ADJP (JJ ectothermic)) (, ,) (S (VP (VP (VBG meaning) (SBAR (IN that) (S (NP (PRP$ their) (NN body) (NN temperature)) (VP (VBZ fluctuates) (PP (VBG according) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT the) (JJ environmental) (NN temperature)))))))) (, ,) (CONJP (RB rather) (IN than)) (VP (VBG being) (VP (VBN maintained) (ADVP (RB internally))))))) (. .)))
Like all reptiles , tuatara are ectothermic, meaning that their body temperature fluctuates according to the environmental temperature , rather than being maintained internally.
(ROOT (S (NP (NNS Reptiles)) (VP (VBP are) (VP (VBN described) (PP (IN by) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN term) (NN ectothermic)) (, ,) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT which)) (S (VP (VBZ means) (SBAR (S (NP (PRP$ their) (JJ internal) (NN temperature)) (VP (VBZ depends) (PP (IN on) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN temperature)) (PP (IN of) (NP (PRP$ their) (NN environment))))))))))))))) (. .)))
Reptiles are described by the term ectothermic, which means their internal temperature depends on the temperature of their environment.