13 Fascinating and Unbelievable Fun Facts About Thorny Devils You Need to Know

1. Built-in Straw Skin

Who needs water bottles when you've got built-in straws? Thorny devils sure know how to quench their thirst in style: These spiky lizards can magically collect and absorb moisture from their surroundings using their skin's hydrophilic surface structures and capillaries, transforming the desert dew and damp sand into a lifesaving sip through semi-tubular channels in their scales.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Freeze-Tag Chameleon

Despite holding the title of "worst party chameleon ever" due to their inability to mingle by changing colors, Thorny Devils have mastered the art of freeze-tag with predators in the desert: Their natural desert camouflage, paired with robotic-like movement and frequent "statue mode" when spotted, make them a tough adversary to catch, as they use a lumpy spike on the back of their neck to keep their heads safe as another shielding technique.
Source => australianwildlifejourneys.com

Did you know bearded dragons can change their colors for communication, camouflage, and even to express their emotions? Discover the fascinating reasons behind their hue-altering abilities!

=> Fun Facts about Bearded-Dragons

3. Thirsty Uber Passenger Lizard

Thorny devils might just be the ultimate freeloaders when it comes to catching a drink in the Outback: their skin can pick up water like a thirsty Uber passenger! Funny, right? But seriously: these Australian lizards have microstructured skin surfaces with channels between overlapping scales, allowing them to collect and passively transport water to their mouths for ingestion, a key adaptation for survival in their arid environments.
Source => pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

4. Gentle Hedgehog Impersonator

Whoever said "never judge a book by its cover" must have had the thorny devil in mind: despite its intimidating punk-rocker-with-a-bad-attitude appearance, this spiky reptile is actually quite the gentle creature, preferring to curl up into a prickly orb when it feels threatened, like nature's very own hedgehog impersonator.
Source => pbs.org

5. Skin Sippy Cup

They say there's more than one way to quench a lizard's thirst, but the thorny devil took that concept to a whole new level: With a body covered in large spines connected by deep grooves, this reptilian wonder uses capillary action to collect and retain water, allowing it to sip from its own skin and thrive in arid habitats.
Source => animaldiversity.org

6. Helicopter Parenting with Scales

Talk about helicopter parenting with scales and spines: Thorny devil females lay an average of 8 eggs in carefully buried burrows and provide protection and guidance to their hatchlings, who are born with fully developed digestive systems and the ability to climb out of their burrows.
Source => animaldiversity.org

7. Nature's Sippy Cup

Who needs a water bottle when you've got nature's very own sippy cup built right in? The thorny devil's got you covered: This desert-dwelling lizard has a network of grooves in its skin that act as miniature water channels, directing precious moisture straight to the corners of its mouth and thus efficiently savoring every last bit of morning dew.
Source => pbs.org

8. Ant-Disposing Slurpee Machine

Sip, sip, hooray for Mother Nature's very own ant-disposing Slurpee machine, armed with a Duplo head: Thorny devils possess the extraordinary talent of slurping droplets of water by permeating them throughout their bumpy skin via capillary action, and boast an extra faux noggin on their nape, expertly warding off predators. These miniature masters of camouflage can blend into their backgrounds on demand and chow down on thousands of ants daily, ultimately living for two whole decades in the Australian outback.
Source => bushheritage.org.au

9. Sipping Water à la Mode

Thirsty for innovation, are you? Wait till you meet these spiky little critters with their ingenious way of sipping water à la mode: Thorny devils collect droplets from damp surroundings using minuscule grooves and tubes in their skin, which cleverly deliver the H₂O straight to their lips for effortless hydration!
Source => a-z-animals.com

10. Water-Bending Spiky Lizards

Who would've thought the thorny devil was capable of channeling its inner water-bender? Well, it turns out these spiky lizards have some surprising talents: Thorny devils have adapted to their arid environment with grooves between their scales that catch and direct even the smallest amounts of water towards their mouths, and they can burrow in sand to draw moisture to their scales when desperate.
Source => a-z-animals.com

11. Chest-Puffing Personal Trainers

Thorny devils may not be world-renowned personal trainers, but they sure know a thing or two about puffing up their chests: they inflate themselves with air, making them appear larger and more difficult for predators to swallow.
Source => animalia.bio

12. Designated Drinker Lizard

Feeling prickly after a night out at the cactus club? The thorny devil might just be your perfect designated drinker: These spiky little lizards have grooves between their spines that collect water, allowing them to channel droplets directly into their mouths simply by tilting their heads.
Source => animaldiversity.org

13. Skin Martini Party Animals

These parched party animals love to drink their own skin martinis: Thorny devils have a fascinating adaptation that enables them to transport water across their skin's surface via a network of overlapping scales and hierarchical channels, significantly reducing the amount of water needed for survival in arid environments.
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov