The thorny devil is native to Australia and belongs to the dragon lizard reptilian family. A common feature in the country’s dry outback and the south western sea board, it is a ferocious looking but docile lizard. It prefers to dwell in the sandy soil often found in deserts and coastal beaches.
The name ‘thorny devil’ is derived from its rough, bristly skin that somewhat resembles that of the American horned lizard. It has a spiny false head at the back of its neck that is used as a defence and decoy. When the lizard senses danger, it bows its head so that the false head is what is visible to its aggressor. The false head predominantly contains fat meaning a predator bite on the appendage would cause no harm to the lizard’s vital organs.
Thorny devils are tiny lizards that ordinarily reach only 8 inches in length from head to tail tip. But unlike other lizards its size that are often nimble and fast, the thorny devil moves slow and with a distinct swagger. They are sexually mature at 3 years of age and have their mating season between the months of September and December each year.
Like other reptiles, the thorny devil lizard is cold blooded and requires external warmth from the sun to keep its internal temperature stable. Their skin is impervious and so cannot lose any water through sweat – a process that other animals use to regulate body heat. The thorny devil is thus more active during autumn and spring. The lizard does not go out as much during the summer (January-February) or winter (June-July) as these extreme temperatures are not ideal for heat regulation.
The thorny devil’s body is adapted for the scarce water resources in the desert. The scales on its back form trough like channels that lead to its mouth. Thus every drop of water that lands on its body from whatever source is directed to its mouth. The source of such water could be anything from rain drops to the morning dew on leaves. The lizard’s rugged skin also serves as a camouflage to protect it from predators.
The thorny lizard primarily feeds on ants and more specifically the iridomyrmex, a tiny black ant. The lizard sits next to an ant trail and quickly flicks the ants with its tongue as they pass by. The lizard can eat up to 45 ants per minute and such meals would involve eating a total of 1000 to 3000 ants.
Thorny devil populations thrived when Australia was sparsely populated by Aborigines. Immigration of European and later Asians saw a rapid population increase that led to widespread human encroachment of the lizard’s habitat.
The introduction of new non-native predators such as domestic cats also led to dwindling numbers of thorny lizards across the country. It is no longer that easy to sight a thorny devil. The Australian government has had to put in place deliberate measures over the years that are geared to reduce or eliminate any disruption to thorny devils.
Back to the Australian animals overview
References:
http://www.outback-Australia-travel-secrets.com/thorny-devil.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorny_Devil
