Echidnas are fascinating spiny mammals that lay eggs and use electroreception to hunt insects. With their unusual anatomy and ancient lineage, these solitary creatures captivate the animal world.
Echidnas
Echidnas, also called spiny anteaters, are one of only five species of monotremes—egg-laying mammals—including their cousin, the platypus.
They are covered in spines, which are modified hairs made of keratin, the same protein in human hair and nails.
Echidnas have long, slender snouts that function as both nose and mouth, equipped with electroreceptors to detect insects underground.
Despite their spines, echidnas are excellent diggers, using strong limbs and curved claws to excavate insect nests.
They have toothless jaws and feed mainly by licking ants, termites, and worms with their sticky, extendable tongues.
Echidnas lay a single leathery egg, about the size of a grape, which the female incubates in a pouch until hatching.
Male echidnas have a unique four-headed penis. During mating, they alternate which two heads they use, an unusual reproductive adaptation.
Their body temperature is one of the lowest among mammals, averaging around 32°C (89°F), which helps conserve energy.
They can live for up to 50 years in captivity, thanks to their slow metabolism and low body temperature.
They sometimes form “mating trains” where several males follow a female in line, competing for her attention.
They are solitary creatures and primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, active during early morning and late evening.
They hide their small ears under their spines, but their keen hearing detects predators and prey.
Echidnas are capable swimmers, an ability inherited from their semi-aquatic ancestors.
There are short-beaked echidnas, common in Australia, and several species of larger long-beaked echidnas native to New Guinea.
Named after the Greek mythological “Mother of Monsters,” echidnas possess a fascinating blend of mammalian and reptilian traits.
