Mammal vs. Reptile: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Mammals are warm-blooded animals with fur or hair and mammary glands; reptiles are cold-blooded, with scales and lay eggs.
Key Differences
Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which they use to feed their young. In contrast, reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates that generally lay eggs, and they have scaly skin that helps them regulate their body temperature.
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Nov 19, 2023
A key feature of mammals is their fur or hair, which provides insulation and aids in body heat retention. Reptiles, on the other hand, lack this feature and have scales covering their bodies, offering protection and aid in moisture retention.
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Mammals have a well-developed brain, especially the cerebral cortex, which is associated with complex behaviors and learning. Reptiles possess a simpler brain structure, which results in more instinctual and less complex behavior patterns compared to mammals.
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In terms of reproduction, most mammals give birth to live young, a process known as viviparity. Reptiles predominantly lay eggs (oviparity), although some species are capable of giving birth to live young.
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Mammals breathe using diaphragms, a unique muscular structure, enhancing lung efficiency. Reptiles breathe using other methods, such as rib movements, and generally have less efficient respiratory systems compared to mammals.
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Comparison Chart
Blood Temperature
Warm-blooded; maintain constant body temperature
Cold-blooded; body temperature varies with the environment
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Skin Type
Fur or hair; provides insulation
Scales; aids in protection and moisture retention
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Reproduction
Mostly viviparous; give birth to live young
Mostly oviparous; lay eggs, some are viviparous
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Brain Structure
Complex brain, especially the cerebral cortex
Simpler brain, more instinctual behavior
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Respiratory System
Use diaphragms for efficient breathing
Less efficient, often use rib movements
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Mammal and Reptile Definitions
Mammal
A warm-blooded vertebrate with hair or fur, and mammary glands.
The kangaroo, a mammal, carries its young in a pouch.
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Reptile
Cold-blooded vertebrates typically laying eggs, with scaly skin.
Snakes, as reptiles, lay eggs and have scaly skin.
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Mammal
Animals capable of regulating their body temperature internally.
Dolphins, being mammals, can maintain their body heat in cold water.
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Reptile
Creatures often exhibiting oviparous reproduction, laying eggs.
Crocodiles, typical reptiles, lay eggs in sandy nests.
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Mammal
Vertebrates with a distinct gestation period, giving birth to live young.
Elephants have a long gestation period, typical of large mammals.
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Reptile
Animals with a body temperature that changes with their surroundings.
Lizards, being reptiles, bask in the sun to warm up.
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Mammal
Creatures possessing a four-chambered heart.
The human heart, like that of all mammals, has four chambers.
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Reptile
Vertebrates that breathe using rib movements or other methods.
Turtles, reptiles by nature, use their ribs to assist in breathing.
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Mammal
Any of various warm-blooded vertebrate animals of the class Mammalia, including humans, characterized by a covering of hair on the skin and, in the female, milk-producing mammary glands for nourishing the young.
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Reptile
Species characterized by their ecological roles as predators or herbivores.
The iguana, a reptile, primarily feeds on plant materials.
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Mammal
An animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by being warm-blooded, having hair and producing milk with which to feed its young.
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Reptile
Any of various usually cold-blooded egg-laying vertebrates often grouped in the class Reptilia, having dry skin covered with scales or horny plates and breathing by means of lungs, and including the snakes, lizards, crocodilians, and turtles. In some classification systems, birds are considered to be reptiles because they are descended from reptilian dinosaurs.
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Mammal
(paleontology) A vertebrate with three bones in the inner ear and one in the jaw.
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Reptile
(strictly) A cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia; an amniote that is neither a synapsid nor a bird; excludes amphibians.
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Mammal
Any warm-blooded vertebrate having the skin more or less covered with hair; young are born alive except for the small subclass of monotremes and nourished with milk
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Mammal
Species characterized by the presence of mammary glands for feeding offspring.
The cow, a mammal, feeds its calves with milk from its mammary glands.
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Reptile
Creeping; moving on the belly, or by means of small and short legs.
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Reptile
Creeping; moving on the belly, or by means of small and short legs.
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Reptile
Hence: Groveling; low; vulgar; as, a reptile race or crew; reptile vices.
There is also a false, reptile prudence, the result not of caution, but of fear.
And dislodge their reptile soulsFrom the bodies and forms of men.
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Reptile
An animal that crawls, or moves on its belly, as snakes,, or by means of small, short legs, as lizards, and the like.
An inadvertent step may crush the snailThat crawls at evening in the public path;But he that has humanity, forewarned,Will tread aside, and let the reptile live.
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Reptile
Any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises turtles snakes lizards alligators crocodiles and extinct forms
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Do all mammals have fur or hair?
Yes, all mammals have some form of fur or hair at some stage of their life.
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Are reptiles always cold-blooded?
Yes, reptiles are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature varies with the environment.
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Are mammals more intelligent than reptiles?
Generally, mammals have more complex brains and exhibit more complex behaviors.
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Do reptiles have scales?
Yes, reptiles are characterized by their scaly skin.
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Can mammals lay eggs?
Most mammals give birth to live young, but a few, like the platypus, lay eggs.
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Do reptiles give birth to live young?
Some reptiles do give birth to live young, although most lay eggs.
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What kind of environments can reptiles inhabit?
Reptiles can live in a wide range of environments, from deserts to rainforests.
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How do reptiles regulate their body temperature?
Reptiles regulate their temperature through behavioral means, like basking in the sun.
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What is a unique feature of mammal reproduction?
Mammals have mammary glands to feed their young.
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Are mammals social animals?
Many mammals are social, but this varies widely among species.
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Can reptiles hear well?
Reptile hearing abilities vary, but many have a good sense of hearing.
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Are all reptiles carnivorous?
No, reptiles have varied diets; some are carnivorous, others are herbivores or omnivores.
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Is parental care common in mammals?
Yes, most mammals exhibit some form of parental care.
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Do mammals have a specialized diet?
Mammals have varied diets, from strictly herbivorous to carnivorous.
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Are reptiles found in cold climates?
Reptiles are less common in cold climates due to their cold-blooded nature.
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Can reptiles live in both water and land?
Many reptiles are adapted to live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments.
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Do mammals have a specific type of heart?
Yes, mammals have a four-chambered heart.
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Do reptiles have good eyesight?
Reptile vision varies widely; some have excellent vision, while others do not.
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How do mammals maintain their body temperature?
Mammals use internal mechanisms like metabolism and external insulation like fur.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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