Thorny Dragon
A spiny lizard of the Australian desert.
The thorny devil (Moloch horridus) is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. It is endemic to Australia and is the sole species in the genus Moloch. It grows up to 21 cm (8.3 in) in total length (including tail), with females generally larger than males. This lizard is covered entirely with conical spines and is colored in camouflaging shades of desert browns and tans, which change from pale during warm weather to darker during cold weather.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Moloch
- Species
- horridus
Lore & Background
The thorny devil was first described by the biologist John Edward Gray in 1841. While it is the only species contained in the genus Moloch, many taxonomists suspect another species might remain to be found in the wild. The thorny devil is only distantly related to the morphologically similar North American horned lizards of the genus Phrynosoma, a similarity 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. The name Moloch was used for a deity of the ancient Near East, usually depicted as a hideous beast. The thorny devil also has other nicknames such as the "devil lizard", "horned lizard", and the "thorny toad".
Reader's Guide
The thorny devil mainly subsists on ants, especially Ochetellus flavipes and other species in the Camponotus, Ectatomma, Iridomyrmex (especially Iridomyrmex rufoniger), Monomorium, Ochetellus, Pheidole, or Polyrhachis genera. Thorny devils often eat thousands of ants in one day. The female lays a clutch of three to ten eggs between September and December, placing them in a nesting burrow about 30 cm underground. The eggs hatch after about three to four months. The thorny devil can live for 15 to 20 years. Predators include wild birds and goannas.
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