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Thorny Devil
Thorny Devil Facts
| Kingdom: Five groups that classify all living things | Animalia |
| Phylum: A group of animals within the animal kingdom | Chordata |
| Class: A group of animals within a pylum | Reptilia |
| Order: A group of animals within a class | Squamata |
| Family: A group of animals within an order | Agamidae |
| Genus: A group of animals within a family | Moloch |
| Scientific Name: The name of the animal in science | Moloch Horridus |
| Type: The animal group that the species belongs to | Reptile |
| Diet: What kind of foods the animal eats | Omnivore |
| Size: How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is | 15-20cm (5.9-8in) |
| Weight: The measurement of how heavy the animal is | 70-95g (2.5-3.4oz) |
| Top Speed: The fastest recorded speed of the animal | 60km/h (37mph) |
| Lifespan: How long the animal lives for | 12-20 years |
| Lifestyle: Whether the animal is solitary or sociable | Solitary |
| Conservation Status: The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct | Least Concern |
| Colour: The colour of the animal's coat or markings | Red, Grey, Brown |
| Skin Type: The protective layer of the animal | Scales |
| Favourite Food: The preferred food of this animal | Ants |
| Habitat: The specific area where the animal lives | Dry desert and shrub land |
| Average Litter Size: The average number of babies born at once | 6 |
| Main Prey: The food that the animal gains energy from | Ants, Termites |
| Predators: Other animals that hunt and eat the animal | Snakes, Human, Birds |
| Special Features: Characteristics unique to this animal | Spiky skin and water channels throughout body |
Thorny Devil Location
Map of Oceania
Thorny Devil
The thorny devil, also known as Thorny Dragon, Thorny Lizard, or the Moloch, is a small species of lizard native to Australia with there being no other lizard like the thorny devil anywhere in the world.
The thorny devil is a small lizard with the average adult thorny devil only growing to around 20cm in length and weighing about the same as the average mouse. The thorny devil is best known for having an extremely spiky looking appearance and the thorny devil can blend well into the vast Australian desert due to the colour of the thorny devil's skin.
The body of the thorny devil has a very rigid structure which aids the thorny devil in collecting water. Amazingly, in between the cone-shaped spikes of the thorny devil, little channels form along the thorny devil's body which enables the thorny devil to collect water from any part of its body which is then transported to the mouth of the thorny devil.
As with many species of lizard, the female thorny devil is generally slightly bigger than the male thorny devil and tend to be slightly paler in colour, with the male thorny devil having a slightly redder looking appearance. All thorny devil individuals tend to change from a paler to a darker colour when they cool down.
The thorny devil also has a pretend head at the back of its neck which is used to mislead oncoming predators. The thorny devil dips its real head down and is therefore able to have a slight advantage over other animals.
The thorny devil feeds mainly on ants and collects the much need moisture at night time generally from forming dew drops. The thorny devil can eat some thousands of ants every day, which is remarkable for such a small creature.
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First Published: 18th February 2009, Last Updated: 8th November 2019
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