There are several species of animals that are present on Earth. They can be divided into many bases one of them is the type of blood an animal has.
Key Takeaways
- Cold-blooded animals rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature.
- Warm-blooded animals maintain a constant body temperature internally, regardless of their environment.
- Cold-blooded animals have lower metabolic rates, while warm-blooded animals need more energy to maintain their body temperature.
Cold-Blooded vs Warm-Blooded
The difference between cold-blooded and warm-blooded is that cold-blooded animals fail to maintain body temperature at a constant level. On the other hand, warm-blooded can maintain body temperature at a constant level. Cold-blooded depends on the surrounding environment’s heat. In contrast, warm-blooded use consumed food for the production of heat.
Cold-blooded animals fail to regulate the temperature of the internal body and to warm themselves, they depend on sunlight. These animals remain inactive mainly in the cold or winter season.
Mitochondria produce energy, and they get utilized to maintain the body temperature. As a result, their body temperature lies between 35- 40 degrees C till their death. In terms of the immune system, they have a stronger one.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Cold-Blooded | Warm-Blooded |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation | It is referred to as animals that fail to maintain body temperature at a constant level. | It is referred to as animals that are able to maintain body temperature at a constant level. |
| Energy obtained | From the surrounding environment | From the food consumption |
| Heart | Two or three-chambered heart | Four chambered heart |
| Body temperature | Varies with the temperature of the surrounding | Between 35-40 degrees C |
| Examples | Amphibians and reptiles | Birds and mammals |
What is Cold-Blooded?
Cold-blooded animals will not be able to regulate their body’s temperature in respect of the temperature of the surroundings. Due to different temperatures and different surroundings, their body temperature fluctuates.
They are majorly demonstrated in any thermoregulation mechanisms, and there are mainly three:
- Poikilothermy- In this state, the internal temperature may vary. But the core temperature remains the same, just like the immediate environment ambient temperature.
- Ectothermy- It refers to the mechanism in which animals utilize external means, such as with the help of the sun, to control the temperature of the body.
- Heterothermy- In this mechanism, if the animals move to another environment, their body temperature too, gets affected and changes drastically.
Cold-blooded animals have several advantages because they consume less food due to the need for less energy to survive than their warm-blooded counterparts.
What is Warm-Blooded?
Warm-blooded animals are capable of maintaining a constant body temperature, and it does not matter what the temperature of the environment is. If they change their surroundings, their body temperature remains the same.
Warm-blooded animals have a completely different mechanism as compared to cold-blooded animals for thermoregulation, and there are mainly two:
- Endothermy- This is the process in which the body temperature of animals is controlled through internal means like shivering, burning fat, and panting.
- Homeothermy- It is the mechanism in which a constant internal temperature is maintained rather than just varying the external temperatures.
Mostly warm-blooded animals maintain their body temperature at a constant level using a combination of endothermy and homeothermy mechanisms.
Due to the high metabolism rate, they produce energy, and in return, warm-blooded animals get a lot of stamina. They are also active in the cold environment. As well as the immune system is also strong.
Main Differences Between Cold-Blooded and Warm-Blooded
- Multiple proteins are present in cold-blooded animals, and they all perform at different temperatures. On the other hand, proteins are not temperature specific in warm-blooded animals.
- For heat regulation in the body, cold-blooded animals do activities such as bathing in the sun, changing body colors, etc.
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-018-0003-9
- https://science.sciencemag.org/content/228/4702/953.abstract
Last Updated : 20 August, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
This article is just perfect, it has given me a detailed explanation of cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals. I feel like an animal expert now.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s very complete.
Is it possible to change from cold-blooded to warm-blooded? This article has triggered my curiosity.
I think that’s impossible. That would be interesting to explore.
I don’t agree. Cold-blooded animals don’t need to consume much food. That’s actually an advantage.
Cold-blooded animals are so lazy. I wouldn’t want to be one of them.
This article is very informative. It has helped me a lot in my science project. I now understand it properly.
The fact that cold-blooded animals resort to sunbathing as a heat source is amusing.
I believe cold-blooded animals are inferior to warm-blooded ones. Inactive in the winter? What kind of animal is that?
Is it just me or do warm-blooded animals sound like superheroes with their high metabolic rates and strong immune system?
You’re right! Warm-blooded animals are the elite.