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Animal profile

Thorny Devil

Moloch horridus

ReptiliaSandy and gravelly arid interior with spinifex and mulgaLeast Concern

Field profile

The thorny devil is a small, slow-moving Australian agamid covered in conical spines, rarely exceeding 20 centimetres. It eats almost nothing but ants, taking thousands in a day from foraging trails. Its skin channels water to the mouth by capillary action, allowing it to drink from damp sand.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-06-04

Thorny Devil

The thorny devil drinks through its feet

Grooves between the thorny devil's scales form a network of narrow channels. Water touching any part of the body, including sand pressed against the belly and feet, is drawn along these channels to the mouth by capillary action, then swallowed by jaw movements.

Read with evidence →

Thorny Devil | Daily Animal Facts