Thorny devil looking for lunch

By AG STAFF March 28, 2014
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Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus) on the hunt for some grub!

This week’s reader photo of a Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus) mid lunch break was captured by David among the spinifex of The Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia.

Chomping down on a diet solely of ants, these little desert dwellers are known to lick up 45 ants per minute, and some scientists say they can eat from 675 to as many as 2500 ants in one meal! There unusual appearance is not all protection either – thanks to those spines thorny devils have a system of grooves in their skin, effectively funnelling water to the corners of their mouth.

 

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