April 9, 2012 at 6:19 pm

Picture of the Day: The Thorny Devil

by twistedsifter

 

THE THORNY DEVIL

 

thorny devil thorny dragon mountain devil thorny lizard moloch Picture of the Day: The Thorny Devil

 

The Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus), also known as the Thorny Dragon, Mountain Devil, Thorny Lizard, or the Moloch is an Australian lizard. It is the sole species of genus Moloch and grows up to 20 cm (8 in) in length and can live up to 20 years. The Thorny Devil lizard is coloured in camouflaging shades of desert browns and tans; these change from pale colours when warm to darker colours when cold.

The species is entirely covered with conical spines that are mostly uncalcified. It also features a spiny “false-head” on the back of the neck; the animal presents this to a potential predator by dipping its real head. Females tend to be larger than males, and the Thorny Devil’s body is ridged in structure, enabling the animal to collect water from any part of its body, which is then channelled to the mouth. [Source: Wikipedia]

Redditor ihatecoverbands, captured this little guy halfway between Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) using the camera on his phone (in macro mode). A candid shot of a really cool looking animal!