The thorny devil is the Australian lizard with a spiny body and a false head on its neck.
The thorny devil is a small desert lizard covered in conical spines. Its enlarged, knob-like neck can look like a second head, giving predators a confusing target. When threatened, the lizard lowers its real head and presents the false head instead.
It feeds almost exclusively on ants, often eating thousands in a day. Specialized grooves between its scales collect dew or water from wet surfaces and channel the moisture toward the mouth. This adaptation is valuable in Australia’s arid and semi-arid regions.
Thorny devils change color with temperature and conditions, appearing browner or yellower during the day and darker when cool. They live across much of inland Australia, especially sandy and spinifex-covered habitats.