Cold Blooded Animals

What are the 5 cold-blooded animals?

Animals that cannot generate internal heat are known as poikilotherms (poy-KIL-ah-therms), or cold-blooded animals. Insects, worms, fish, amphibians, and reptiles fall into this category—all creatures except mammals and birds.

Reptiles

• All reptiles are cold-blooded, meaning they use external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature. 

• Cold-blooded animals are also known as ectothermic. 

Examples of cold-blooded reptiles include: 

• Snakes, Lizards, Skinks, Turtles, Tortoises, Alligators, Crocodiles. 

Cold-blooded animals can't generate their own body heat, but they can regulate it by changing their environment. For example, bearded dragons rely on external heat sources to raise their body temperature. They bask in the sun to warm themselves and can burrow underground to avoid extreme heat and predators. 

Cold Blooded vs Warm Blooded:

On average, cold-blooded animals don't live longer than warm-blooded animals. However, some cold-blooded animals can live much longer or shorter lives than similar-sized warm-blooded animals. For example, giant tortoises can live up to 200 years, while bowhead whales can also live over 200 years.

• Cold-blooded animals, like reptiles and amphibians, have more diverse aging rates and lifespans than warm-blooded animals. Some cold-blooded animals age very quickly, while others age extremely slowly. 

• Some scientists believe that protective traits, like hard shells or poison, contribute to slower aging. 

  • For example, turtles, which have physical protection, live longer than other species. 

• Cold-blooded animals, like worms, flies, and fish, also live longer in cold environments. However, cold-blooded animals have a disadvantage compared to warm-blooded animals. This is because all chemical reactions slow down as the temperature is lowered. 

Why do Turtles live so long?

According to one theory, turtles live longer than other animals because they are cold-blooded and have a slow metabolism. 

• Cold-blooded animals, like turtles, rely on heat from the environment to stay warm.

• They also don't need to use a lot of energy to keep themselves warm.

Other reasons:

• Cellular repair: Turtles may be able to direct energy toward cellular repair because they don't have to spend energy on maintaining their body temperature.

• Slower aging: Cold-blooded species tend to have slower metabolisms, which can slow down even further in the cold. This can result in less damage to their cells and tissues and a slower aging process.

• Genetic traits: Turtles have genetic traits related to DNA repair, immune response, and cancer suppression.

• Telomere shortening:  Turtles exhibit a lower rate of telomere shortening compared with shorter-lived animals. This means they're more resistant to certain kinds of damage that can arise from DNA-replication errors.