Cold Blooded vs Warm Blooded

There are many different types of animals on Earth; consisting of cold blooded and warm blooded creatures. Most people don’t stop to think about the differences between the two; although many are easily recognized and distinguished. This article identifies some specifics, and the differences between cold blooded and warm blooded species.

Classification

There are various cold blooded species, and they differ in the manner in which their body temperature changes with variations in the environment. They are cold when their surroundings are cold, and hot when it is hot. This is called thermoregulation, and there are three varieties:

Ø Ectothermy ‘“ body temperature is regulated by the warmth or coolness of the external environment, such as the sun, water, or air temperature. These creatures are warmed by the sun or cooled by the water, e.g. reptiles.

Ø Pilkilothermy ‘“ body temperature is regulated by external changes that rises and falls according to the surroundings. They are cold or hot as they move between the environments, e.g. frogs or turtles.

Ø Bradymetabolism ‘“ body temperature is determined by their metabolism. These are creatures that go into a hibernation-like state depending on the outside temperature, or availability of food, e.g. some insects.

There are also numerous warm blooded species, whose body temperature stays at predominantly constant levels, and are identified by how thermoregulation adjusts their body temperature. There are three types of thermoregulation for warm blooded species, and these are:

Ø Endothermy ‘“ body temperature is managed by an internal means, such as shivering in cold or panting in heat, e.g. dogs.

Ø Homethermy ‘“ body temperature is stable regardless of the external environment, and they tend to have a somewhat higher temperature than the surrounding environment, e.g. humans.

Ø Tachymetabolism ‘“ body temperature is sustained by a high metabolism, e.g. birds.

Advantages

Cold blooded animals have several advantages, as they require much less energy to survive than their warm blooded counterparts; therefore, they need less food. Secondly, they do not provide a compatible environment for germs, parasites, or microorganisms to thrive and grow, and are more resistant to disease; however, when they do get an illness, they lower their body temperature to combat the infection.

Although cold blooded animals can be as speedy as their warm blooded counterparts, warm blooded animals have more stamina, because their higher metabolism generates energy faster. Warm blooded animals are active in cold environments, whereas, their counterparts can barely move. Warm blooded animals can hunt for food during hot or cold extremes, whereas cold blooded animals, when cold, can only hunt after they have warmed themselves in the sun. The immune system of warm blooded animals is also better developed.

Types

Examples of cold blooded animals include fish, insects, spiders, frogs, crocodiles, bees, moths, and termites.

Examples of warm blooded animals are humans, dogs, cats, elephants, monkeys, deer, moose, horses, lions, and cows.

Summary:

1. The body temperature of cold blooded animals changes with variations in the environment, but the body temperature of warm blooded species stays at predominantly constant levels.

2. Cold blooded animals have several advantages, as they require much less energy to survive than their warm blooded counterparts; therefore, they need less food.

3. The immune system of warm blooded animals is better developed.

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