The lizard that drinks water through its skin
This desert lizard drinks water through its skin — and never has to take a sip.
The short version
The thorny devil's skin is covered in microscopic grooves that pull water by capillary action from dew or damp sand all the way to its mouth, so it drinks without sipping — even through its feet. It eats thousands of ants a day and its spikes are mostly a bluff against predators.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Thorny Devil drinks water through its skin without ever using its mouth.
- ✓The Thorny Devil has skin covered in microscopic grooves that pull water in by capillary action.
- ✓The Thorny Devil lets dew or damp sand travel along its grooves all the way to the corners of its mouth.
- ✓The Thorny Devil can even soak up moisture through its feet.
- ✓The Thorny Devil eats almost nothing but ants, snapping up thousands of them a day, one at a time.
The full story
This spiky desert lizard can drink water without ever using its mouth. Meet the thorny devil, a small Australian reptile covered head to tail in sharp, intimidating spikes. But its real superpower is hidden inside its skin. The entire surface is covered in microscopic grooves, a network of tiny channels that pull water in by capillary action. So when dew lands on its back, or it simply stands on damp sand, the water travels along these grooves all the way to the corners of its mouth, where it is swallowed. It can even soak up moisture through its feet. On top of that, it eats almost nothing but ants, snapping up thousands of them a day, one at a time. And those fearsome spikes are mostly a bluff, making it far too prickly for any predator to swallow. Follow for more weird animal facts.
Watch the 45-second version
Thorny Devil gallery
