Echidnas (pronounced E-kid-na) along with the platypus are the only members of the monotreme family,which are mammals that lay eggs and produce milk for their young. They resemble the hedgehog and the porcupine. The echidna is found all over Australia and can survive a range of temperatures and habitats. They are mostly nocturnal. They have a normal short coarse hair to keep them warm and long sharp spines. They have a pointy snout and extremely long sticky tongue to catch ants and termites.
The Echidna have a unique breeding system,the male has a four-headed penis (a whole new meaning to penis envy!). During mating the heads on one side shut down and do not grow in size,the other two release semen into the females two branched reproductive tract. The heads used are swapped each time the male copulates. The female develops a pouch at the start of mating season,about 3 weeks after mating the female digs a burrow and lays one soft leathery like egg which she then deposits in her pouch. After 10 days the egg hatches and the young blind echidna attaches itself to a milk patch in the mothers pouch. Once spines develop the young (called a puggle) are evicted from the pouch and return to the burrow but continue to suckle for 6 months.
The Echidna have a unique breeding system,the male has a four-headed penis (a whole new meaning to penis envy!). During mating the heads on one side shut down and do not grow in size,the other two release semen into the females two branched reproductive tract. The heads used are swapped each time the male copulates. The female develops a pouch at the start of mating season,about 3 weeks after mating the female digs a burrow and lays one soft leathery like egg which she then deposits in her pouch. After 10 days the egg hatches and the young blind echidna attaches itself to a milk patch in the mothers pouch. Once spines develop the young (called a puggle) are evicted from the pouch and return to the burrow but continue to suckle for 6 months.
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