Tachyglossus aculeatus

Norman?!?

Dinsdale???

Mammal, mammal

Their names are called

They raise a paw

The bat, the cat

Dolphin and dog

Koala bear and hog

The fox, the ox

Giraffe and shrew

Echidna, caribou

-They Might be Giants

It lay eggs !

It produces milk, but has no teats !

It completely disproves Darwinism and Evilution !!!

Never seen that kind of hedgehog before...

Mating season must be a lonely, lonely, time in echidna land.

stevaroni said: Mating season must be a lonely, lonely, time in echidna land.

Stanton said: On the contrary, they're the ones who put the "thunder" in "Thunder Down Under"

I hate to put my real name on this, but:

Q. How do echidnas copulate?

A. Very, very carefully.

The joke, I think, was originally about porcupines, but I am adaptable. Alternate answer, which is not so good, is

A'. Quickly, in the dead of night.

I still think the Latin name is hilarious.

Male echidnas have a four-headed penis, but only two of the heads are used during mating. The other two heads "shut down" and do not grow in size. The heads used are swapped each time the mammal copulates.

The Short-beaked Echidna

Wields a four-headed penis,

Alternating between only two.

I ask, "Hey, kid! Did ya

Know your sexual genius

Makes me feel exceedingly blue?"

stevaroni said: Since we're already heading down this road (like we always do)... I know very little about today's featured critter, so I thought I'd pop over to wikipedia to educate myself a bit. Little did I know that I'd find this below the fold...

Male echidnas have a four-headed penis, but only two of the heads are used during mating. The other two heads "shut down" and do not grow in size. The heads used are swapped each time the mammal copulates.

fourskins.

Someone had to say it.

Raging Bee said: Never seen that kind of hedgehog before...

note to those evolution denier's - see photo above for a 'transitional form' (I know - everything that ever lives is transitional between whatever came before and whatever comes next) but few creatures illustrate a transitional form between Mammal-like reptiles and reptile-like mammals that the echidna

does anyone know if the spines are homologous to reptilian scales?

...it is a monotreme, “a living fossil”...

Q. My spiny anteater has just eaten my mother's sister. Please advise.

A. Your echinda has obviously incurred a single symbol insertion; namely an additional 'u'. This type of acquisition of new information leading to novel function is contrary to the tenets of Intelligent Design. You might consider embracing this form of Creationism; it won't help with your anteater, but the practice of disregarding evidence will assist you in turning a blind eye to its depradations upon your female relatives.

Alternatively, as students of the writings of P G Wodehouse will tell you, your pet's behaviour would be considered useful in certain quarters. You might find it profitable to advertise on eBay.

I don't know how spiny animals copulate. The only one I am familiar with is the European hedgehog for which you need sturdy gloves if you are going to remove it from where it could be hit by a car. It is, however, soft all under. Thus the missionary position would do but I doubt it. I don't think this is a case of parallel evolution.

I don’t know how spiny animals copulate.

— RM

those dogmatic reproductionists who keep censoring Scientific Storkism.