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Echidnas are possibly named after Echidna, a creature from Greek mythology who was half-woman, half-snake, as the animal was perceived to have qualities of both mammals and reptiles. [citation needed] An alternative explanation is a confusion with Ancient Greek: ἐχῖνος, romanized: ekhînos, lit. 'hedgehog, sea urchin'. [5]
The long-beaked echidnas (genus Zaglossus) make up one of the two extant genera of echidnas: there are three extant species, all living in New Guinea. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] They are medium-sized, solitary mammals covered with coarse hair and spines made of keratin .
The eastern long-beaked echidna can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the number of claws on the fore and hind feet: it has five claws on its fore feet and four on its hind feet. Its weight varies from 5 to 10 kilograms (11 to 22 lb); its body length ranges from 60 to 100 centimetres (24 to 39 in); it has no tail.
The western long-beaked echidna is an egg-laying mammal. Unlike the short-beaked echidna, which eats ants and termites, the long-beaked species eats earthworms.The long-beaked echidna is also larger than the short-beaked species, reaching up to 16.5 kilograms (36 lb); the snout is longer and turns downward; and the spines are almost indistinguishable from the long fur.
A skin-skeletal preparation Close-up of the last 5 millimetres (0.20 in) of a hedgehog spine (SEM microscopy) A hedgehog that feels threatened can roll into a tight ball. Hedgehogs roll into a tight spiny ball when threatened, tucking in the furry face, feet, and belly. [7] The hedgehog's back contains two large muscles that direct the quills.
The fictional character Knuckles the Echidna from Sonic the Hedgehog is a red short beaked echidna who possesses superhuman strength. The short-beaked echidna is an iconic animal in contemporary Australia, notably appearing on the five-cent coin (the smallest denomination), [ 122 ] and on a $200 commemorative coin released in 1992. [ 123 ]
The Southern African hedgehog is said to be a slow mover; however, when threatened, it can move surprisingly fast at 6 to 7 km/h (3.7 to 4.3 mph). [3] During the day, they typically stay where they live, which is an area that is covered with vegetation or in a hole in the ground.
Several mammal groups have independently evolved prickly protrusions of the skin – echidnas , the insectivorous hedgehogs, some tenrecs (a diverse group of shrew-like Malagasy mammals), Old World porcupines and New World porcupines (another biological family of rodents).