Echidna Facts

Echidnas, otherwise known as spiny anteaters are related to platypus, as they share the same order - Monotremata. It is a common fact that mammals are animals that give birth to young ones. But, monotremes are those mammals that lay eggs. The order Monotremata consists of egg laying mammals like platypus and echidna (along with some extinct animals), that are indigenous to New Guinea and Australia. Studies show that this order consisted of many members that were once widespread, but, now, most of the species are extinct and the only surviving monotremes are platypus and echidna.

Facts About Echidnas

Echidnas are mammals that belong to the family Tachyglossidae, which consists of two genera - Tachyglossus, Zaglossus and Megalibgwilia. The genus Zaglossus consists of three extant (living) species and two extinct species. The living species are the western long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijni), Sir David's long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi) and the eastern long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bartoni with four subspecies). The extinct species are Zaglossus robustus and Zaglossus hacketti. The only member of the genus Tachyglossus is the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus with five subspecies). The third genus Megalibgwilia consists of extinct species, called Megalibgwilia ramsayi and Megalibgwilia robusta. In short, there are four living species.

Appearance

Echidnas are animals that resemble porcupines and hedgehogs in looks. The body of an echidna is almost brownish-black in color and is covered with spines and coarse hair. However, spines are not found on their face, limbs and abdomen. They are short and stocky with strong limbs that have claws that are adapted for digging. Another characteristic feature of these animals is that they have a long tubular snout that is meant for sensing smell as well for catching prey. In fact, the snout helps them to smell and eat. The long-beaked species have longer snouts as compared to the short-beaked type.

One of the interesting echidna facts is that they have a long sticky tongue that helps these animals to catch prey, which include ants and termites (sometimes, worms and larvae too). The long-beaked ones have spines on their tongues too. These animals are found to tear open anthills and soft logs that house ants and termites and stick their tongue inside, so as to catch prey. Their body size varies with the species. While their body weight may range between 2 to 17 kilograms. The body length op these animals can be anywhere between 30 to 100 centimeters. In general, the short-beaked echidnas are smaller in size, as compared to others.

• They use the claws on their limbs to tear out ant hills and soft logs with termites. They also dig holes for burying themselves, when threatened. It has been noticed that sometimes they roll like balls, in case of any threat.
• The average lifespan of an echidna or spiny anteater is between 40 to 50 years.
• They are among some of the oldest surviving species on the earth. They are solitary animals that are often found single, except the mating season.
• Males have a bony spur on their hind foot. It is said that these animals can inject poison with this structure. In fact, there is no poison gland in their body.
• Echidnas have small mouths with no teeth. They are said to grind their food with the bony plates in their mouth.
• Even though, they are mammals, the most intriguing echidna fact is that they lay eggs inside the pouch attached to the abdomen.
• A single leathery egg is laid by the female and it hatches within 10 to 15 days.
• The young one, called puggle is retained in the pouch till it develop spines. The puggle feeds on the milk produced by the milk patches inside the pouch of the mother.
• After two months, the puggle is left in a burrow, which is visited by the mother (for suckling), once in every five days. After seven months, the puggle is weaned.
• Echidna is one of the mascots of Sydney Olympic Games 2000, as the character 'millie'.

The sad part about these Australian animals is that some of these species (like the western long-beaked type and Sir David's long-beaked echidna) are on the verge of extinction and are classified as endangered species.