What is the lifespan of a thorny devil?
15 years
Thorny devils can live up to 15 years.
What kind of ants does the thorny devil eat?
The thorny devil mainly subsists on ants, especially Ochetellus flavipes and other species in the Iridomyrmex or Ochetellus genera. Thorny devils often eat thousands of ants in one day. [2]
How does the thorny devil lizard get its food?
The lizard typically feeds in the relative cool of the morning and late afternoon. It employs a ‘ sit-and-wait ‘ tactic. This involves finding a sheltered feeding site near an ant trail and waiting for the ants to come close. The lizard uses its sticky tongue to capture the ants.
How old do thorny devils live in the wild?
In the morning and late afternoon they locate a trail and lap them up with their short, sticky tongues. In one day an individual can eat thousands of ants! This diet seems to suit them just fine: they can live to be 20 years old in the wild. Many of our staff love Thorny Devils. Photo Nella Lithgow at Cravens Peak, Qld.
Why does the thorny devil have a large stomach?
The thorny devil has a relatively large stomach. This is because ants are not the most nutritious of meals and therefore need to be eaten in large quantities. The thorny devil may consume several thousand ants each day.
Are thorny devils predators or prey?
The Thorny Devil is a prey animal, because it’s a small, slow moving creature. Their worst predators are humans and Bustards (a type of bird). The Thorny devil has to be careful about the Bustards, because it can just swoop down, and at least hurt it.
What animals are thorny devils related to?
The thorny devil is only distantly related to the morphologically similar North American horned lizards of the genus Phrynosoma. This similarity is usually thought of as an example of convergent evolution. The names given to this lizard reflect its appearance: the two large horned scales on its head complete the illusion of a dragon or devil.
What do predators do thorny devils have?
Predators of the thorny devil include goannas and birds of prey. When threatened by a predator the thorny devil will dip their head down and present the false ‘head’ which is a lump of fat on the back of their head. This part of the body can recover quickly if injured so if they are being attacked they would rather it be there.
How do Thorny Devils Devils defend themselves?
To defend against predators, such as buzzards and Australian bustards (large land birds), thorny devils curl themselves to protect their head and expose a bony mass on their neck often referred to as a false head. This fools predators into attacking the knob instead of its real head.
