Cold Blooded Animals - Examples, Characteristics and Trivia

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 20 February 2021
Update Date: 15 May 2024
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In the animal world, there are several ways for species to ensure their survival. Adapting to the ecosystem is crucial. Even in similar environments, each species has its own mechanisms for ensure your survival. One of these common classifications divides reptiles and amphibians as cold-blooded animals, comparing them to other faunal representatives such as mammals. However, do you know why they are given this name? What sets them apart from other types of animals?

The body regulation system works in different ways, that's why in this PeritoAnimal article we'll tell you all about the cold-blooded animals, examples, characteristics and curiosities. Good reading!


Why are they called cold-blooded animals

Before talking about the species that are included in this classification, it is necessary to clarify one thing: why are these animals called that?

They are called that because they are animals that regulate your body temperature according to the environment, unlike the so-called warm-blooded animals, whose temperature is regulated from the energy generated by burning food. Warm-blooded animals are known as endothermic animals, while cold-blooded animals are called exothermic animals.

Examples of Exothermic Animals

Among the exotherms, there is the following subdivision:

  • Ectothermic animals: ectothermic animals are those that regulate their temperature with that of the outside.
  • Pecilotherm animals: the internal temperature varies a lot according to the external one.
  • bradymetabolic animals: are able to put their resting metabolism at low levels in the face of food shortages and low temperatures.

Characteristics of cold-blooded animals

These species use different mechanisms to survive, adapt to the environment and keep their bodies at an ideal temperature. These are some of these features:


  • elements of the environment: they use the elements that the environment offers them, such as staying in the sun, swimming in other waters, burying themselves in the earth or sand, etc. These are ways to regulate body temperature.
  • Blood vessels: your blood vessels dilate and contract more easily than in endothermic species; thanks to this they adapt faster to changes.
  • Enzymes: their bodies contain more enzymes, which are responsible for reacting at various temperatures.
  • Internal organs: most species have simple organs, so they consume less energy.
  • Life expectancy: species usually live less than warm-blooded animals, sometimes only a few weeks.
  • food: survive more easily than their peers in ecosystems with little food, as they require less energy.
  • physiological needs: your physiological needs are lower.
  • rest state: in cold weather, their bodies go into "rest"; consuming less energy, as they reduce your needs to a minimum.

Now that you know the characteristics of cold-blooded animals, it's time to show you examples, characteristics and fun facts about them. Come on!


Examples of Cold Blooded Animals

Some of cold-blooded animals most characteristic are the following:

  • common toad
  • Komodo dragon
  • Nile crocodile
  • comb turtle
  • oriental diamond rattlesnake snake
  • green anaconda
  • Cape Verde ant
  • domestic cricket
  • migratory grasshopper
  • White shark
  • moon fish
  • Gila Monster
  • Bluefin tuna
  • common iguana
  • Teyu

We'll talk a little more about each of them below.

1. common toad

The common frog (snort snort) is a very well-known species with wide distribution in the Europe and part of Asia. It can be found in woods and fields, as well as in parks and urban environments with vegetation and water sources.

During the hot day, the common frog remains camouflaged among grass or in wet areas, since it's easy to get confused by its color. He prefers to go out in the late afternoon or on rainy days, when he takes the opportunity to eat.

2. Komodo Dragon

The Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) it is a Indonesia endemic reptile. It measures up to 3 meters and is surprising for its large size and scavenger eating habits.

this is one of vertebrate cold-blooded animals. It prefers to live in warm areas and is more active during the day. It is common to see him resting in the sun and digging holes in the ground to protect himself.

3. Nile crocodile

The Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) lives in the waters and banks of the African rivers. It is the second largest crocodile in the world, measuring up to 6 meters long. In Ancient Egypt, the god Sobek had the head of a crocodile of this species.

As a cold-blooded animal, the crocodile invests much of its time in stay in the sun. In this way, it regulates its temperature. After that, he devoted himself to swimming to hunt his prey.

Check out this article about the differences between the alligator and the crocodile.

4. Comb turtle

The Comb Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a species of sea turtle that inhabits the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Currently, the IUCN Red List classifies it as an animal in endangered. It's easy to recognize as its mouth is beak-shaped and the hull has distinctive spots.

Like the other species of turtle, it is a cold-blooded animal. It remains in marine currents with temperatures that favor its survival. Furthermore, sunbathe to change your temperature.

This other article about endangered marine animals might interest you.

5. Oriental diamond rattlesnake snake

The oriental diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is a snake that is distributed only in the United States. Like most species of this genus, it has a characteristic rattle at the tip of the tail.

This snake is active day and night; for this, it uses the benefits offered by room temperature: sunbathes, burrows or hides in vegetation according to your body's needs.

6. Green anaconda

The dreaded green anaconda (Murinus Eunectes) is another cold-blooded vertebrate animal. This species is South American endemic, where you can find it hanging from trees or swimming in rivers to hunt its prey. It is a constricting snake that devours large mammals such as capybaras.

It uses the environment to regulate its temperature. The water, the sun and the cool shade of the forest and fields are your allies when it comes to modifying or maintaining its temperature.

7. Green Cape Ant

Does the ant have blood? Yes. And did you know that ants are also cold-blooded animals? The Cape Verdean ant (clavata paraponera) is one of them. This species is distributed in several South American regions and its poisonous sting is more painful than that of a wasp.

This species of ant regulates its temperature through body vibrations or tremors. Now that you know that the ant has blood, if you want to know more about them, go to this other article about the types of ants - Characteristics and photographs.

8. Domestic cricket

Crickets are also cold-blooded and the domestic cricket (Acheta domesticus) is one of them. Measures only 30mm and is distributed all over the world, where it can be found in vegetated areas or near urban areas.

the cricket has twilight and night habits. During the day it remains protected among the branches of trees, in caves or dark areas.

9. Migratory locust

Grasshoppers are cold-blooded invertebrate animals. The migratory grasshopper (migratory locust) is a species that inhabits the Asia, Europe and Africa, where it is part of swarms or clouds to travel to different regions and look for food.

the own activityin the swarm allows the grasshopper to maintain its temperature, as with ant tremors.

10. White shark

The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is a cold-blooded marine animal. It is distributed by coastal waters across the planet, where it is at the top of the food chain.

Thanks to your size and your constant movement, the shark is able to maintain its temperature. For more information about these dreaded animals, read this other article on Types of Sharks - Species and their characteristics.

11. Moon fish

The moon fish (spring spring) weighs up to 2 tons and lives in tropical areas around the world. It is easy to distinguish them as they have a large head and their body is flat. It feeds on jellyfish, salt pans, sponges and other similar animals.

This species regulates your temperature through swimming, as it changes depth according to your body's needs.

12. Gila Monster

The Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) is a lizard found in the United States and Mexico. The species is poisonous and measures up to 60 centimeters. It is a slow, carnivorous animal.

The Gila monster lives in arid regions, however even in these areas temperatures can drop to dangerous levels, especially at night. For this reason, they are among the cold-blooded animals that hibernate, although this process is actually called brumation: at low temperatures, your body goes to rest in order to survive.

13. Bluefin tuna

It is also possible to mention the bluefin tuna (thunnus thynnus). It is distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, although currently has disappeared in many places due to indiscriminate fishing.

As with other fish, the bluefin tuna uses the muscles that you use in swimming to maintain your body temperature.

14. Common Iguana

It is not possible to talk about these animals without mentioning iguanas. The common iguana (iguana iguana) is distributed in South America and is distinguished by measuring up to two meters and have the skin a bright green or leaf green color.

It is common to observe the iguana sunbathing during the day, as this process allows you to regulate your temperature. Once the ideal temperature is reached, it rests under trees or in shady areas.

15. Teyu

The Teiu (teius teyou) is common in Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. Give me up to 13 centimeters and features a body crossed by stripes and dots; males have colored skin, while females are brown or sepia. Like other lizards, teiu regulates its temperature using the sun and the shaded areas.

other cold-blooded animals

There are many other species that are cold-blooded. These are some of them:

  • Arabian toad (Sclerophrys arabica)
  • Dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis)
  • Land iguana (Conolophus pallidus)
  • Baloch Green Frog (zugmayeri buffets)
  • Olive turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
  • striped iguana (Ctenosaura similis)
  • West African crocodile (crocodylus talus)
  • African python (Python sebae)
  • Horned Rattlesnake (Crotalus cerastes)
  • Teiu black and white (salvator merianae)
  • Kemp turtle (Lepidochelys Kempii)
  • reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus)
  • Rat rate snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)
  • Black Fire Ant (Solenopsis richteri)
  • Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
  • black iguana (Ctenosaura pectinate)
  • Argentine-Teiu (Salvator Rufescens)
  • Spotted frog from the Caucasus (Pelodytes caucasicus)
  • Parrot snake (Corallus Batesii)
  • African ant (pachycondyla analyses)

Now that you know all about these animals and also discovered a little more about warm blooded animals, don't miss this video where we talk about the most dangerous animals in the world:

If you want to read more articles similar to Cold Blooded Animals - Examples, Characteristics and Trivia, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.