The Thorny Devil: Australia's Living Cactus Lizard
The thorny devil (Moloch horridus) is a small Australian lizard covered in conical spikes that can drink water through its skin using a network of microscopic grooves between its scales—water from dew, rain, or even damp sand travels via capillary action directly to its mouth corners without the lizard needing to bend down. This remarkable reptile can consume up to 5,000 ants in a single day, feeding exclusively on these insects with lightning-quick tongue flicks. When threatened, the thorny devil tucks its head between its front legs to reveal a false head—a spikey knob on its neck that confuses predators while protecting its real brain.