Thorny Devil

Moloch horridus Gray 1841

2002 California Academy of Sciences cc-by-nc-sa-3.0

Moloch horridus (Thorny Devil) is a species of Squamata in the family agamid lizards. They are native to Oceania continent (Australia, NZ and islands). They are solitary, diurnal carnivores. Individuals can grow to 94.24 mm. They have sexual reproduction. Reproduction is oviparous. They have parental care (female provides care). They rely on running to move around.

URI: http://www.geonames.org/6255151

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URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q81875
Definition: organism that eats mostly or exclusively animal tissue
Attribution: Crustacean body sizes

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URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/solitary
Definition: Solitary animals are those that spend a majority of their lives without others of their species, with possible exceptions for mating and raising their young. Antonyms for a solitary animal include a social animal or a colonial animal.
Attribution: https://www.definitions.net/definition/solitary+animal

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URI: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q906470
Definition: animal behavior characterized by activity during the day, with a period of inactivity at night.

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URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0019953
Definition: Capable of creating a new organism by combining the genetic material of two gametes, which may come from two parent organisms or from a single organism, in the case of self-fertilizing hermaphrodites.

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URI: http://www.marinespecies.org/traits/Oviparous
Definition: Egg laying; producing eggs that are laid and hatch externally (Lincoln et al., 1998).
Attribution: Lincoln, R., Boxshall, G. & Clark, P., 1998. A dictionary of ecology, evolution and systematics (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University of Press. http://www.marinespecies.org/traits/wiki/Traits:Oviparous

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URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/parentalCareFemale
Definition: the female feeds and nurtures offspring
Attribution: Richard M. Sibly, Christopher C. Witt, Natalie A. Wright, Chris Venditti, Walter Jetz, and James H. Brown. 2012. Energetics, lifestyle, and reproduction in birds. PNAS 109(27):10937-10941, doi:10.1073/pnas.1206512109

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URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NBO_0000055
Definition: The act of locomoting on limbs with body off the ground such that periodically none of the limbs are touching the ground.

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EOL has data for 27 attributes, including:

Body symmetry
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/body_symmetry
- Definition: overall repetitive or reflective pattern in the body of one individual of this taxon. eg: bilateral symmetry, rotational symmetry, radial symmetry
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bilaterally symmetric
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001324
- Definition: being symmetric about a plane running from frontal end to caudal end (head to tail), and having nearly identical right and left halves
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biogeographic realm
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GAZ_00000071
- Definition: The largest scale biogeographic division of the earth's surface based on the historic and evolutionary distribution patterns of plants and animals.
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australasia
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Australasia
- Attribution: https://www.oneearth.org/realms/australasia/
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cellularity
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001992
- Definition: An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearers consisting cells. [ PATOC:GVG ]
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multicellular
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001993
- Definition: A cellularity quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearers consisting of more than one cell. [ PATOC:GVG ]
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diet includes
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Diet
- Definition: Information about the items eaten by this organism.
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insects
- URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1390
- Definition: a class of mainly terrestrial arthropods
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geographic distribution includes
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/Present
- Definition: This organism is known to be present in this location or region. Not exclusive; other regions may also be reported.
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Indian Ocean
- URI: http://www.marineregions.org/mrgid/1904
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habitat
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/RO_0002303
- Definition: x has habitat y if: x is an organism, y is a habitat, and y can sustain and allow the growth of a population of x
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loam
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00002258
- Definition: A soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration (about 40-40-20% concentration respectively).
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locomotion
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0040011
- Definition: Self-propelled movement of a cell or organism from one location to another.
- Attribution: [database_cross_reference: GOC:dgh]
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running
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NBO_0000055
- Definition: The act of locomoting on limbs with body off the ground such that periodically none of the limbs are touching the ground.
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native range includes
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/NativeRange
- Definition: Lists jurisdictions in which a given organism is a member of the undisturbed fauna or flora.
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Oceania continent (Australia, NZ and islands)
- URI: http://www.geonames.org/6255151
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parental care
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0060746
- Definition: A reproductive behavior in which a parent cares for and rears offspring.
- Comment: [database_cross_reference: GOC:dph]
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protection
- URI: https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2251595
- Definition: action or precaution against a threat against an uncertainty or possible unpleasant events
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reproduction
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0000003
- Definition: The production of new individuals that contain some portion of genetic material inherited from one or more parent organisms
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sexual reproduction
- URI: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GO_0019953
- Definition: Capable of creating a new organism by combining the genetic material of two gametes, which may come from two parent organisms or from a single organism, in the case of self-fertilizing hermaphrodites.
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social system
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/SocialSystem
- Definition: Description of the relationships among individuals within a population of organisms, including reproductive relationships (mating system), relationships within each sex, adult – young interactions, helpers and cooperation (group living).
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solitary
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/solitary
- Definition: Solitary animals are those that spend a majority of their lives without others of their species, with possible exceptions for mating and raising their young. Antonyms for a solitary animal include a social animal or a colonial animal.
- Attribution: https://www.definitions.net/definition/solitary+animal
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trophic guild
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/TrophicGuild
- Definition: A group of species that exploit the same food resources, and/or use the same feeding or foraging methods. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_(ecology)
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ambush predator
- URI: http://eol.org/schema/terms/ambush
- Definition: organisms that capture or trap prey by stealth or by strategy (typically not conscious strategy), rather than by speed or by strength.
- Comment: synonym: sit-and-wait predator
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Known occurrences, collected specimens and observations of Thorny devil. View this species on GBIF

2002 California Academy of Sciences cc-by-nc-sa-3.0