View source for Echidna

{{dablink|For other senses of this word, see [[Echidna (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Echidnas<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=p. 1-2|id=10300002}}</ref>
| image = Long-beakedEchidna.jpg
| image_caption = [[Western Long-beaked Echidna]]
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Monotremata]]
| familia = '''Tachyglossidae'''
| familia_authority = [[Theodore Nicholas Gill|Gill]], 1872
| subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
| subdivision = 
Genus ''[[Tachyglossus]]'' <br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''[[Short-beaked Echidna|T. aculeatus]]''<br/>
Genus ''[[Zaglossus]]'' <br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''[[Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna|Z. attenboroughi]]''<br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''[[Western Long-beaked Echidna|Z. bruijnii]]''<br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''[[Eastern Long-beaked Echidna|Z. bartoni]]''<br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;†''[[Zaglossus hacketti|Z. hacketti]]''<br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;†''[[Zaglossus robustus|Z. robustus]]''<br/>
Genus †''[[Megalibgwilia]]''<br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;†''[[Megalibgwilia|M. ramsayi]]''<br/>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;†''[[Megalibgwilia|M. robusta]]''<br/>
}}
[[Image:Echidna, Exmouth.jpg|thumb|A [[Short-beaked Echidna]] curled into a ball; the snout is visible on the right.]]
'''Echidnas''' ({{pronEng|ɨˈkɪdnə}}), also known as '''spiny anteaters''', <ref>http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/echidna/Echidnaprintout.shtml Retrieved on [[21 October]] [[2007]]</ref> are four [[Extant taxon|extant]] [[mammal]] species belonging to the '''Tachyglossidae''' [[Family (biology)|family]] of the [[monotreme]]s. Together with the [[Platypus]], they are the only surviving members of that [[order (biology)|order]].  Although their diet consists largely of ants and termites, they are not actually related to the [[anteater]] species. They live in [[New Guinea]] and [[Australia]]. The echidnas are named after a  [[Echidna (mythology)|monster in ancient Greek mythology]].

==Description==
[[Image:Wild shortbeak echidna.jpg|thumb|left|Short-beaked Echidna]]
Echidnas are small mammals that are covered with coarse [[hair]] and [[spine (biology)|spines]]. Superficially they resemble the anteaters of South America, and other spiny mammals like [[hedgehog]]s and [[porcupine]]s. They have snouts which have the functions of both the mouth and nose. Their snouts are elongated and slender. They have very short, strong [[Limb (anatomy)|limb]]s with large [[claw]]s and are powerful diggers. Echidnas have a tiny [[mouth]] and a toothless [[jaw]]. They feed by tearing open soft logs, [[anthill]]s and the like, and use their long, sticky [[tongue]] which protrudes from their snout to collect their prey. The [[Short-beaked Echidna]]'s diet consists largely of ants and termites, while the ''Zaglossus'' species typically eat worms and insect larvae. 

The long-beaked echidnas have tiny spines on their tongues that helps capture its meals. 

Echidnas and the Platypus are the only egg-laying mammals, known as monotremes. The female lays a single soft-shelled, leathery [[egg (biology)|egg]] twenty-two days after mating and deposits it directly into her pouch. Hatching takes ten days; the young echidna, called a [[puggle]], then sucks [[milk]] from the [[lactiferous duct|pore]]s of the two [[Mammary gland|milk patches]] (monotremes have no [[nipple]]s) and remains in the pouch for forty-five to fifty-five days, at which time it starts to develop spines. The mother digs a nursery burrow and deposits the puggle, returning every five days to suckle it until it is weaned at seven months.

Male echidnas have a four-headed [[penis]], but only two of the heads are used during mating.  The other two heads "shut down" and do not grow in size.  The heads used are swapped each time the mammal has sex.<ref>{{cite web | author = Shultz, N. | date = [[2007-10-26]] | url = http://environment.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn12838 | title = Exhibitionist spiny anteater reveals bizarre penis | work = [[New Scientist]] [http://www.newscientist.com/home.ns website] | accessdate = 2006-10-27}}</ref>

==Taxonomy==
Echidnas are [[biological classification|classified]] into three [[genus|genera]]. The ''[[Zaglossus]]'' genus includes three extant [[species]] and two species known only from [[fossil]]s, while only one species from the genus ''[[Tachyglossus]]'' is known. The third genus, ''[[Megalibgwilia]]'', is only known from fossils.

===''Zaglossus''===
The three living ''Zaglossus'' species are [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to [[New Guinea]]. They are rare and are hunted for food. They forage in leaf litter on the forest floor, eating [[earthworm]]s and [[insect]]s.  The species are:

*the [[Western Long-beaked Echidna]] (''Zaglossus bruijni'') of the highland [[forest]]s
*[[Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna]] (''Zaglossus attenboroughi''), recently discovered, prefers a still higher habitat
*the [[Eastern Long-beaked Echidna]] (''Zaglossus bartoni''), of which four distinct subspecies have been identified

The two fossil species are:

*''[[Long-beaked echidna#Zaglossus robustus|Zaglossus robustus]]''
*''[[Long-beaked echidna#Zaglossus hacketti|Zaglossus hacketti]]''

===''Tachyglossus''===
[[Image:EchidnainCanberra.JPG|right|thumb|In Australia the [[Short-beaked Echidna]] may be found in many environments, including urban parkland such as the shores of [[Lake Burley Griffin]] in [[Canberra]], as depicted here.]]

The [[Short-beaked Echidna]] (''Tachyglossus aculeatus'') is found in southeast [[New Guinea]] and also occurs in almost all [[Australia]]n environments, from the snow-clad [[Australian Alps]] to the deep [[desert]]s of the [[Outback]], essentially anywhere that ants and termites are available. Its size is smaller than the ''Zaglossus'' species, and it has longer hair.

===''Megalibgwilia''===
The genus ''[[Megalibgwilia]]'' is only known from fossils:

*''Megalibgwilia ramsayi'' from [[Late Pleistocene]] sites in Australia
*''Megalibgwilia robusta'' from [[Miocene]] sites in Australia

==Media==
[[Image:French Island Echidna.ogg|none|thumb|A [[French Island National Park|French Island]] echidna building a defensive burrow (0:43s)]]



==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{nofootnotes|date=May 2008}}
* Flannery, T.F. and Groves, C.P. (1998)  A revision of the genus ''Zaglossus'' (Monotremata, Tachyglossidae), with description of new species and subspecies.  ''Mammalia'' '''62''', 367-396.
* Parker, J., "[http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/June2000/default.htm Echidna Love Trains]", "Scribbly Gum" online magazine. 
* Rismiller, P., "[http://www.earthwatch.org/site/pp2.asp?c=dsJSK6PFJnH&b=1147621 Echidnas and Goannas of Kangaroo Island]", [[Earthwatch|Earthwatch Institute]].

==External links==
{{commons|Tachyglossidae|Echidna}}
{{Wikispecies|Tachyglossidae}}
* [http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?articleId=763&issueId=61 "The Enigma of the Echidna"] by Doug Stewart, ''National Wildlife,'' April/May 2003.
* [http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/June2000/default.htm Scribbly Gum - Australian Broadcasting Corporation online magazine], article "Echidna Love Trains": Echidna spotting, Trains (breeding behaviour), The amazing puggle (young), Species, Dreaming (REM sleep), Managing populations; June 2000

{{Monotremata}}
[[Category:Monotremes]]
[[Category:Mammals of the Northern Territory]]

{{Link FA|de}}

[[bg:Ехидни]]
[[ca:Equidna]]
[[da:Myrepindsvin]]
[[de:Ameisenigel]]
[[es:Tachyglossidae]]
[[eo:Ekidno]]
[[fa:خارپشت بی‌دندان]]
[[fr:Échidné]]
[[ko:가시두더지]]
[[id:Echidna]]
[[io:Ekidno]]
[[it:Tachyglossidae]]
[[he:קיפודן נמליים]]
[[nl:Mierenegels]]
[[ja:ハリモグラ]]
[[no:Maurpinnsvin]]
[[pl:Kolczatka australijska]]
[[pt:Equidna]]
[[ro:Echidnă]]
[[ru:Ехидны]]
[[sl:Kljunati ježek]]
[[fi:Nokkasiilit]]
[[sv:Myrpiggsvin]]
[[th:อีคิดนา]]
[[tr:Dikenli karıncayiyengiller]]
[[uk:Єхидна (тварина)]]
[[zh:针鼹科]]
[[zh-yue:針鼴]]