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Echidnas are egg-laying mammals with a tubular beak and spines that live in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Learn about their habitat, diet, behavior, and the four species of echidnas, including the short-beaked echidna and the long-beaked echidnas.
- Echidnas Are One of the Only Mammals That Lay Eggs. Other than echidnas, the only mammal that lays eggs is the duck-billed platypus, which happens to be its closest relative.
- They're Also One of the Oldest Species on Earth. Echidnas evolved from the monotreme lineage between 20 and 50 million years ago. Although limited fossil records make it impossible to know who its earliest ancestor is, it's thought to have been a terrestrial insectivore similar to the platypus.
- Their 'Beaks' Are Actually Noses. And about those so-called beaks: They're actually just noses. The extended, rubbery snouts — varying from short to long, depending on the species — are strong enough to break open hollow logs and dig for insects underground.
- They Have No Teeth. To eat those ants, termites, and beetle larvae, the echidna uses only its long and sticky tongue. Like anteaters, they have no teeth, but with hard pads on the base of their slender tongues — which they can extend up to an impressive 6 inches — and on the roof of their mouths, they can grind up their grub into a more manageable paste.
Echidna, or spiny anteater, is a type of monotreme mammal with strong-clawed feet and spines on the body. It feeds on termites, ants, and other invertebrates in the soil. There are two species of long-beaked echidna and one of short-beaked echidna, all native to Australia and New Guinea. Learn more about their physical features, species, and conservation status.
Learn about the echidna, a unique mammal that digs with its spines and lays eggs like a monotreme. Find out how the echidna lives in different habitats, eats with its long tongue, and faces threats from predators and humans.
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Mar 18, 2022 · Learn about echidnas, the quill-covered monotremes also known as spiny anteaters. Find out their appearance, diet, habitat, breeding, social structure and conservation status. Discover the four species of echidnas and their differences in size, weight, spines and milk production.
Echidnas, also known as spiny anteaters, are egg-laying mammals with spines and a long tongue. Learn about their classification, description, habitat, behavior, diet, predators, and reproduction in this comprehensive fact sheet.
