Thorny Devil
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ID#48
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Classification: Reptile Endangered Status: Locally Common Habitat: Dry, arid scrubland with water, brush and rocks. The Thorny Devil is a small reptile, with a measurement of about ten inches. It has spikes covering the entirety of its body, which are used for protection. Thorny Devils are quite light, two pounds is about their average weight. They have a larger spike near the neck, and a nearly straight tail. Their legs are short and stout, and they are very slow animals. A Thorny Devil spends most of its day searching for ants, and cooling off in shade or a small pond. They will drink on almost any water source they come upon if they are thirsty. They are diurnal creatures that live alone, and only meet together during breeding season. They eat only ants and can eat up to 10,000 in one sitting, eating them one by one. They have special crowns on their teeth that make crushing ants especially easy. They have weak jaws they rely on the crowns for the crushing. The Thorny Devil mates during March, April and May, and the male attracts the female by using elaborate courtship methods, including leg shaking and head bobbing. Females are pregnant for only 3 weeks; when that time is up, they dig a long, sloping tunnel that ends ten inches underground. They then lay their eggs, (up to ten), and leave the eggs to hatch alone. After two weeks, the eggs hatch, and leave the underground room to start their life. Thorny Devils are very interesting. First off, if they dip their tail in water, capillaries in their skin blot it up and transfer it down the skin, making their entire body damp. It's like paper blotting. Second, they are entirely covered in spikes, so no one wants to mess with them. And even if the most determined predator strikes, they will put their head between their legs so the big spike in their neck looks like its head. They also can slightly change color to match their surroundings. |