Select the one animal that has all of the monotreme traits listed above.
Echidnas are covered in fur and spines. Their spines help protect them from predators. When an echidna is scared, it curls up into a ball! Echidnas lay eggs and feed their offspring milk. Adult tiger salamanders have moist, smooth skin with stripes. They live in burrows underground, but they begin their lives in water. Young tiger salamanders hatch from eggs with no shells underwater.
Monotremes are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify monotremes:
They make eggs with shells.
They have fur or hair. Observe the animals and read the descriptions.
Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group.
To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Monotremes have the following traits:
They make eggs with shells.
They have fur or hair.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
An echidna has the following traits:
It makes eggs with shells.
It has fur.
An echidna has the traits of a monotreme. An echidna is a monotreme.
A tiger salamander has the following traits:
It spends part of its life in water and part on land.
It has moist skin.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A tiger salamander does not have all of the traits of a monotreme. A tiger salamander is an amphibian.