Common characteristics of reptiles:
1. Cold-blooded: Unlike mammals, reptiles cannot regulate their body temperatures internally and rely on external sources of heat to warm up.
2. Scales: Reptiles have scales made of keratin that cover their bodies, providing protection and helping to retain moisture.
3. Lay eggs: Most reptiles lay eggs rather than giving birth to live young, although there are a few exceptions such as some species of snakes.
4. Breathe through lungs: Reptiles have lungs for breathing, similar to mammals, but their lung structure varies depending on the species.
5. Ectothermic: Reptiles rely on their surroundings to maintain body temperature, which makes them ectothermic animals.
Differences between reptiles and mammals:
1. Body temperature regulation: Reptiles are cold-blooded, meaning they rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature, while mammals are warm-blooded and can maintain a consistent internal body temperature.
2. Reproduction: Reptiles typically lay eggs, while most mammals give birth to live young. However, there are exceptions such as monotremes (e.g. platypus) which lay eggs and marsupials which give birth to underdeveloped young.
3. Hair: Mammals have hair or fur covering their bodies, which is absent in reptiles. Hair helps mammals regulate body temperature and provides insulation.
4. Mammary glands: Mammals have mammary glands that produce milk to nourish their young, while reptiles do not produce milk.
5. Heart structure: Mammals have a four-chambered heart, while most reptiles have a three-chambered heart. This difference affects the efficiency of oxygen transport in the body.
Common characteristics of reptiles and how they differ from mammals.
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