Echidnas (/ ɪˈkɪdnəz /), sometimes known as spiny anteaters, [1] are quill-covered [2] monotremes (egg-laying mammals) belonging to the family Tachyglossidae / tækiˈɡlɒsɪdiː /, living in Australia and New Guinea.

Echidnas are some of the most unique animals in the world. They are sometimes referred to as ‘ spiny anteaters ‘ and their unusual appearance and characteristics have fascinated scientists for hundreds of years. They are monotremes, which are mammals that lay eggs and whose ancestor is thought to be acquatic like the platypus.

Mar 28, 2025 · Echidna, any of four species of peculiar egg-laying mammals from Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea that eat and breathe through a bald tubular beak protruding from a dome-shaped body covered in spines.

An echidna has a tiny face with small eyes and a long nose, sometimes called a beak. The eyes don’t help the echidna see well, but its acute sense of hearing and smell give this unusual mammal the information it needs to know to survive.

Apr 9, 2025 · Echidnas are unique egg-laying mammals, distinct from other mammals like hedgehogs and porcupines. They dig for food using their strong sense of smell and catch prey with their long, sticky tongues. Echidnas have distinct mating rituals, unusual reproductive organs and care for their young in a pouch.

Everything you should know about the Echidna. The Echidna looks like a cross between a hedgehog and an anteater, and is a rare mammal that lays eggs.

Dec 20, 2024 · Echidnas, also known as spiny anteaters, are medium-sized mammals with hard, spiny hair or quills on their body. Although they resemble hedgehogs (family Erinaceidae) and porcupines (families Hystricidae and Erethizontidae) in appearance, echidnas constitute a separate family, Tachyglossidae.

Oct 8, 2020 · Test your knowledge with these fun facts. They’re spiky, slow-moving and native to Australia but there is much more to short-beaked echidnas – also known as spiny anteaters – than meets the eye. South Australia is home to lots of …

Echidnas, also known as spiny anteaters, are one of the most remarkable mammals found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. They belong to a rare group of animals known as monotremes, which are mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.

May 27, 2024 · The Echidna is earth’s oldest living mammal, with an evolution that dates back to the era of the dinosaurs! The Echidna is one of the most genetically unique animals alive today, with characteristics rarely seen in other species.