Mammals vs. Amphibians — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on November 17, 2023
Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates with hair and mammary glands, while amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrates that live in water and on land.
Difference Between Mammals and Amphibians
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Mammals, characterized by warm-blooded metabolisms, navigate diverse habitats from terrestrial to aquatic. Amphibians, on the other hand, usually necessitate access to aquatic environments, especially during their early life stages, as they are cold-blooded creatures and often lay eggs in water.
Mammals generally possess hair or fur, an aspect critical for insulation, and maintaining their internal body temperatures. Conversely, amphibians typically exhibit smooth, permeable skin, which plays a pivotal role in their respiration, often assisting them to breathe through their skin.
The reproductive strategies of mammals predominantly involve live birth, nourishing young ones via mammary glands. In stark contrast, amphibians usually reproduce by laying eggs, often in water, and their offspring typically undergo a notable metamorphic stage from larvae to adult.
Mammals have complex and varied diets, including plants, meat, and mixed diets, utilizing well-developed teeth for processing food. Amphibians often have simpler diets and feeding mechanisms, largely consuming insects and small animals, with a primary focus on prey available in or near aquatic environments.
Mammals boast a respiratory system that relies on lungs throughout their entire lifespan. Amphibians utilize gills during their aquatic larval stage, transitioning to lung and skin respiration in their terrestrial adult phase, highlighting a significant distinction in their developmental and respiratory dynamics.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Blood Type
Warm-blooded (homeothermic)
Cold-blooded (ectothermic)
Skin Type
Fur or hair
Smooth, permeable skin
Reproduction
Live birth, mammary glands for nourishment
Lay eggs, often in water
Respiration
Lungs throughout life
Gills, then lungs & skin
Habitat
Diverse (land, sea, air)
Require access to aquatic environments
Compare with Definitions
Mammals
Mammals are warm-blooded animals maintaining constant internal body temperatures.
Mammals, including humans, regulate their body temperature internally.
Amphibians
Undergo metamorphosis from a larval stage to adulthood.
Frogs, as amphibians, transition from tadpoles to adult frogs.
Mammals
Mammals are vertebrates that typically give live birth.
Most mammals, like dogs, give birth to live young.
Amphibians
Amphibians are cold-blooded animals, not regulating internal temperature.
Amphibians, unlike mammals, cannot regulate their body temperature internally.
Mammals
Mammals are characterized by possessing hair or fur.
Unlike reptiles, mammals such as lions have a fur coat.
Amphibians
Amphibians typically lay eggs in aquatic environments.
Amphibians, such as toads, often lay eggs in ponds.
Mammals
Mammals have mammary glands to nourish their young.
Female mammals, like cows, produce milk to feed their offspring.
Amphibians
Amphibians have permeable skin, often participating in respiration.
Amphibians, like salamanders, can breathe through their skin.
Mammals
Mammals possess a three-bone middle ear structure for hearing.
Mammals, such as elephants, have intricate hearing capabilities.
Amphibians
Amphibians generally inhabit both terrestrial and aquatic habitats during life.
Newts, amphibians in nature, utilize both land and water habitats.
Mammals
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.
Amphibians
Any of various cold-blooded, usually smooth-skinned vertebrates of the class Amphibia, characteristically hatching as an aquatic larva with gills and then transforming into an adult having air-breathing lungs. Frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians are amphibians.
Mammals
Plural of mammal
Amphibians
An animal capable of living both on land and in water.
Amphibians
An aircraft that can take off and land on either land or water.
Amphibians
A tracked or wheeled vehicle that can operate both on land and in water.
Amphibians
Plural of amphibian
Common Curiosities
Can amphibians live away from water?
Amphibians typically need access to water or moist environments for reproduction and to prevent dehydration.
Do all mammals give live birth?
While most mammals give live birth, there are exceptions, like the platypus and echidna, which lay eggs.
Do amphibians go through metamorphosis?
Yes, amphibians typically undergo metamorphosis, transitioning from a larval stage to an adult form, e.g., tadpole to frog.
Do all amphibians have legs?
Most amphibians have legs, but some, like caecilians, are legless and snake-like.
How do amphibians reproduce?
Amphibians typically lay eggs in water, which hatch into aquatic larvae, eventually undergoing metamorphosis into adults.
Are bats considered mammals?
Yes, bats are mammals, characterized by fur, warm-blooded metabolism, live birth, and mammary glands.
Why do amphibians often have slimy skin?
Amphibians often have slimy skin to retain moisture, facilitate cutaneous respiration, and sometimes deter predators.
What distinguishes mammal teeth?
Mammals often have varied teeth (incisors, canines, molars) suited to their diverse diets, unlike amphibians with generally homodont dentition.
Are whales mammals, and why?
Yes, whales are mammals because they have mammary glands, are warm-blooded, have hair (at least at some life stage), and give live birth.
What do mammals typically eat?
Mammals have diverse diets, including herbivorous, carnivorous, and omnivorous feeding habits, depending on the species.
Why do mammals have fur or hair?
Mammals have fur or hair primarily for insulation to regulate body temperature, and sometimes for camouflage or sensory purposes.
Can amphibians live in both fresh and saltwater?
Most amphibians prefer freshwater habitats, but a few species, like some crabs, can survive in brackish or saltwater environments.
What role does skin play for amphibians?
Amphibians' skin is vital for respiration, moisture control, and sometimes color-changing for camouflage or communication.
Can mammals breathe underwater?
While most mammals cannot breathe underwater, some, like whales and seals, can hold their breath for extended periods.
How do mammals care for their young?
Mammal parents often provide extensive care, including feeding (milk production), protection, and sometimes teaching behaviors to their young.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Monatomic Ions vs. Polyatomic Ions
Next Comparison
Abstract in Language vs. Concrete in LanguageAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
