Echidna

Echidnas
Western Long-beaked Echidna
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Monotremata Family: Tachyglossidae Gill, 1872
Species
Genus Tachyglossus    T. aculeatus Genus Zaglossus    Z. attenboroughi    Z. bruijnii Z. bartoni

An Echnida looking for food

Echidna, the spiny anteater, is a monotreme that lives in Australia and in New Guinea. They form the family Tachyglossidae.

Echnidas have a long, tube-like mouth with a sticky tongue, and they are also covered in spines. They have mammary glands, and lay eggs.

The echidna has a way of protecting itself. With its long, sharp claws, they quickly dig a hole until only their spines are accessible. The predator will not be able to get to it without injuring itself. When there is a fire, the Echidna will dig down out of reach of the fire.

Food

Spiny anteaters eat ants. They also eat other small insects. Echidnas pick up the bugs with their sticky tongues.

Species

• Family Tachyglossidae
  • Genus Tachyglossus
    • Tachyglossus aculeatus
  • Genus Zaglossus
    • Zaglossus attenboroughi
    • Zaglossus bartoni
    • Zaglossus bruijni

Look up Tachyglossidae in Wikispecies, a directory of species

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Tachyglossidae

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