Select the one animal that has all of the mammal traits listed above.
Gray tree frogs hatch from eggs without shells. They live underwater when they are tadpoles. They move onto land when they become adults. The moist skin of adult gray tree frogs can be green or gray. The color of their skin helps them hide on rocks or plants. African elephants have thin hair covering their body. Female elephants feed their offspring milk. Elephants live in groups called herds. The oldest female in the herd is usually the leader.
Mammals are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify mammals:
They feed their offspring milk.
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.
Mammals have the following traits:
They feed their offspring milk.
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.
A gray tree frog 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 gray tree frog does not have all of the traits of a mammal. A gray tree frog is an amphibian.
An African elephant has the following traits:
It feeds its offspring milk.
It has hair.
An African elephant has the traits of a mammal. An African elephant is a mammal.