Moloch horridus
This ‘grotesque Australian reptile’ – in the words of my Oxford Dictionary – is popularly called thorny devil or thorny dragon. I think its official name – Moloch horridus – sounds more horrid than the popular one.
Here’s what I read in my friend Jane’s reptile book: “the Moloch horridus is the sole member of the Genus Moloch. It lives in arid and semi-arid sandy regions. Walks very slowly with a jerky gait and tail held in upward curve. Feeds exclusively on small black ants, up to 5000 per meal.”
I like this last piece of information. It leads me to suspect that it’s the black ants that have named this reptile such. They have every reason to dread its appearance. But to us humans, isn’t this thorny devil a cute little guy?
Photos of the week: Moloch horridus (Thorny Devil), Central Desert, Australia 2013
καιρός remembered 
Beautiful creature….thanks for the post Louk!
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