Cold-blooded animals can be defined as animals that cannot regulate their internal body temperature in the presence of changes in the environment. They cannot survive extreme temperatures.
Examples of cold-blooded animals are reptiles, fish, etc. They can survive in any temperature because they can easily adapt to it. The best examples of warm-blooded animals are mammals. The difference between the two below will help you understand better.
What is Cold-Blooded?
Animals that cannot adjust their internal body temperature to changing conditions. They generally have difficulty surviving high temperatures. Examples include reptiles and fish. This applies to all animals except the mammal and bird class, including worms, fish, amphibians and reptiles.
The term “cold-blooded” refers to the animal’s body temperature being the same as its environment. A fish swimming in 40 degree water will have a body temperature very close to 40. The body temperature of the same fish in 60° F water will be around 60° F .
Cold-blooded creatures cannot produce their own heat, so they must move their body temperature. Cold-blooded organisms are less active and even sluggish as temperatures drop.
The insect’s wing muscles cannot move fast enough to allow it to fly if it slows down too much. Some moths vibrate their wing muscles when you vibrate, and the contracting muscles generate enough heat for flight. Tortoises are generally too hard and cold to fly on cold nights. After the sun’s rays heat it up, it can fly normally.
What is Warm-blooded Animals?
Animals that can control and maintain a constant internal body temperature. Warm-blooded animals can maintain a constant internal body temperature and survive in all temperatures adapting to harsh conditions of any type of environment.
Warm-blooded animals can work hard in winter as well as in summer, but they need enough food to keep warm. The high body temperatures of birds make it difficult for them to find enough food when cold winter air arrives, so most of them move to warmer climates where their bodies are less active to stay warm Examples include birds and mammals including humans.
The skin allows heat to escape from the body. In winter, layers of clothing help people keep their bodies warm. Other mammals rely on a covering layer of fat or fur to keep them warm and insulate them from the cold. Mammals with big ears and long tails are not found in very cold places.
A large variety of foods would be needed to replenish the heat lost from these bulk items—something that is extremely difficult to obtain.
Difference Between Cold Blooded And Warm-Blooded Animals
| Cold Blooded | Warm-Blooded |
| Constant temperature | |
| Cannot maintain | Can maintain |
| Energy | |
| Obtained from the surrounding environment | Obtained from the food consumption |
| Body temperature | |
| Varies with the temperature of the surrounding | Between 35 to 40 degree C |
| Rate of metabolism | |
| Changes with the change in environment | Environmental changes do not affect |
| Survive | |
| They cannot sustain in extreme temperature conditions | They are able to maintain a constant body temperature |
| Examples | |
| Reptiles, insects, fish, amphibians, etc | Birds and mammals |
