The Fearsome Mountain Devil

I have waited so very long to see a Mountain Devil!   The very name mountain devil conjures visions of some huge fearsome creature lurking in the deep dark depths of a cave hidden in a lost valley.  But the reality is so far removed and in fact it is a small lizard just 20 cm in length that inhabits the arid inland areas of Australia.
Yesterday my friend and I were traveling along a gravel road when I fortunately saw this little fellow just in the nick of time.  We luckily missed it by a whisker.  Excited and armed with cameras we rushed back to see if it was ok and to take some photos.It must have wondered what on earth was going on.

A view from above displaying both the beautiful pattern and thorns

The poor thing was there, swaying back and forwards as they do, and only proceeding forward with slow jerky movements and then only a short distance at that. When we were satisfied with our photos it was decided that for her own good we should get her off the road and under some sort of cover.  It is best not to handle wild creature's but this was necessary as we were on a well traveled road. As it was I saw a dead goanna and two other lizard victims during our 40 km trip.
I was surprised at just how prickly it was and what a good defence system it is to have.  It is also possible for them to blow themselves up so as to appear larger and in an effort to  dissuade any predator from eating it.

In freeze mode

I thought our prickly friend may be a female as it was so fat.  It is around about this time of the year that a clutch of up to eight eggs are laid.  A tunnel is dug by Mum that is carefully back filled once the eggs are laid .
Ants are the staple diet of this lizard who it is thought lives for up to 20 years.

Profile displaying the mock head

In the photo above you can get a better idea of just how thorny the Mountain Devil is and also you can see the mock head behind the eyes (this one is quite small ). Another method used is when under attack the head is drawn down between the legs and the mock head is instead presented .

P.S. I almost forgot to tell you how this arid land dweller gets a drink !! Dew and rain is collected on it's back and then channeled between the thorns to the mouth. How wonderful is that!?