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Yes. Both the male and female echidna have equally sharp spines.
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∙ 11y ago
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What are all over an echidna's body?
An echidna's body is covered with spikes, or spines. These spines are not poisonous, but they are sharp and offer the echidna protection from predators.
What are the things on the echidna's back called?
The echidna has numerous sharp spines on its back. These are for defence purposes.
What do echidna use there spines for?
The spines of an echidna are for defence. They are quite sharp, and deter many predators except for snakes. When threatened, an echidna will dig quickly, disappearing horizontally into the ground, with only its spines showing, until it has dug itself in completely.
Does an echidna have fur?
Yes. While many people believe echidnas only have spines, they are actually covered with a very thick layer of coarse hair. The sharp spines grown throughout the coarse hair.
Which Monotremes have spikes?
The short-beaked echidna and the long-beaked echidna are the two species of monotreme which have sharp spines.
How did echidnas get their spikes?
Echidnas are not born with spines (as they are known, rather than spikes). The spines begin to grow after a few weeks, and are quite sharp by the time the baby echidna is three to four months old.
Is an echidna's spikes strong?
An echidna's spines are quite sturdy, and very sharp. They are strong enough to deter the average potential predator.
Does an echidna produce in water?
Not at all. A female echidna lays a single egg directly into a pouch (or rather, a flap of skin) which she develops during the breeding season. She incubates the egg in the pouch. When the baby echidna has grown large enough to develop its sharp spines, it is transferred to a burrow.
How do the spines on an echidna help it to survive?
The spines of an echidna are very sharp. When threatened, they can dig very quickly into the earth, disappearing horizontally, leaving only their quills exposed while they burrow. Echidnas burrow as a protective defence, leaving only the spines exposed to the potential predator.
Are monotremes only covered with skin?
No. The platypus is covered with dense, waterproof fur, and the echidna is covered with sharp spines.
What is the synonym for echidna 'spines'?
Spiny Anteater is another name for the echidna. However, echidnas are not related to anteaters at all, despite the name. Echidnas are monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, while anteaters a placental mammals. Echidnas have sharp spines, hence the name 'spiny' and they feed primarily on termites, as well as ants.
Are echidnas spikes also called spikes?
The echidna's spikes are called spines. These spines are primarily for defence against predators. When threatened by danger, the echidna will rapidly burrow horizontally into the soil, leaving only its spines exposed as it digs, and thereby protecting its vulnerable underbelly. The echidna can also raise its spines to create a more formidable protection against being bitten by predators. They also serve the function of enabling the echidna to wedge itself into small spaces, such as between rocks or tree roots.
