Submitted by Xerrostron t3_xtuh86 in askscience
I've been thinking about crocodiles and some can get as huge as 20 feet. How does a creature like that not generate its own heat?
To me, it seems you can't actually look at a creature and figure out if it is warm Blooded or cold Blooded.
All the dinosaur megafauna were warm Blooded too. Isn't thermoregulation just expending energy for warmth?
knotacylon t1_iqs7rqz wrote
Crocodiles sun bath, a lot. Body size is mostly dependent on how readily available food is. Crocodiles are big because their diet can afford it, they used to be bigger because the animals they preyed upon were bigger. It's not unheard of for large animals to go extinct when their food source begins to diminish (e.g. titana boa, megalodons, etc.)