Which animal has needles on its back?

The porcupine is the prickliest of rodents, though its Latin name means “quill pig.” There are more than two dozen porcupine species, and all boast a coat of needle-like quills to give predators a sharp reminder that this animal is no easy meal.

What animal has spines on its back?

The spine has three normal curves: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae in the torso and five lumbar vertebrae in the lower back.

Which has quills on its back?

Porcupines are large, slow-moving rodents with sharp quills on their backs. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. Scientists group porcupines into two groups: Old World porcupines, which are found in Africa, Europe and Asia; and New World porcupines, which are found in North, Central, and South America.

Which animal has sharp spines on their body for protection?

Hedgehog | National Geographic. Hedgehogs have a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked they will curl into a prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators.

Which of these creatures has sharp feathers on its back?

The body of a porcupine is covered with up to 30,000 sharp spines. A rodent associated with guinea pigs, the porcupine makes use of its spiny covering to drive predators away.

Leopard VS Porcupine - The tragic end for both.

What animals have sharp spines?

Today, spines or quills are found in four major groups of living mammals: hedgehogs (Erinaceomorpha: Erinaceidae, Erinaceinae), tenrecs (Afrosoricida: Tenrecidae, Tenrecinae), echidnas (Monotremata: Tachyglossidae), and rodents (Rodentia).

What are animals with spines called?

An animal that has a backbone and skeletal system is called a vertebrate. Vertebrates are animals with backbones and skeletal systems. A backbone can also be called a spine, spinal column, or vertebral column. The individual bones that make up a backbone are called vertebrae.

Who is porcupine?

Tyrese Gibson

Robopine, formerly known as Porcupine, is a masked celebrity contestant on the fifth US season of The Masked Singer.

What animal is similar to a porcupine?

Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs have between 3,000 and 5,000 quills. The quills cover their entire backside, but their underside is soft. Like the porcupine, the hedgehog's quills lay flat most of the time.

Why does porcupine has sharp needles on its body?

The porcupine's fearsome arsenal of quills is an effective deterrent to predators. These form a protective armour around the rodent, which it raises when it feels threatened. The long quills on its neck and shoulders are flexible while the smaller ones are sharp and rigid.

Is a hedgehog a porcupine?

Hedgehogs are small mammals with cone-shaped faces, short legs and bodies that are covered with porcupine-like quills. Despite their similar appearances, porcupines and hedgehogs are not closely related.

Does a hedgehog have quills?

Most mammals have fur or hair that is somewhat flexible and soft. But the hair on the back of a hedgehog is a thick layer of spikes (or modified hairs) known as quills. These quills are made of keratin, the same stuff our hair and fingernails are made of.

What is the difference between hedgehog and porcupine?

Hedgehogs are smaller than porcupines, with quills or spines also shorter than the latter. Hedgehogs' quills do not fall off, while porcupines' spines easily attach to any unfortunate predator who dares to come close enough. As to diet, porcupines are herbivores, while hedgehogs are omnivores.

How many vertebrae do giraffes have?

How many bones are there in a giraffe's neck? Just like humans, giraffes have seven neck vertebrae. For giraffes, however, each one can be over 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) long! Both male and female giraffes have two distinct, hair-covered horns called ossicones.

What are spines in plants?

Spines are also modified leaves. In cacti, spines are wholly transformed leaves that protect the plant from herbivores, radiate heat from the stem during the day, and collect and drip condensed water vapour during the cooler night. In the many species of the spurge family…

Where is the lumbar region of an animal?

The lumbar vertebrae are bones that make up the spinal column or backbone, specifically within the lower back. These bones are below the cervical and thoracic vertebrae but above the sacrum or pelvis. They are the largest of the unfused vertebrae, and are larger than the bones located above.

What animal starts with the letter Q?

Quail, Quetzal, Quokka.

What looks like a rabbit but isn t?

Viscacha or vizcacha (UK: /vɪˈskætʃəz/, US: /vɪˈskɑːtʃəz/) are rodents of two genera (Lagidium and Lagostomus) in the family Chinchillidae. They are native to South America and look similar—but are not closely related—to rabbits due to convergent evolution.

Is Ash a hedgehog or porcupine?

Ash is a female crested porcupine who is one of the main characters in the movie Sing. She is voiced by Scarlett Johansson.

What are dog porcupines?

An angry and defensive porcupine raises his quills (which are actually modified hairs) and lashes his tail. When the tail makes contact, usually in the face of an unsuspecting dog, the loosely fastened quills become painfully embedded in the dog's skin — most often in the tender mouth and nose.

What do porcupines look like?

The North American porcupine is a rodent with black to brownish-yellow fur and quills all over its round body, except for its stomach. Quills are hairs with solid, barbed tips and hollow shafts, and a porcupine has an estimated 30,000. The hollow quills allow porcupines to stay afloat in water.

What eats a porcupine?

Fishers are a primary predator of porcupines, but quills have been found embedded in coyotes, cougars, bobcats, foxes, lynxes, bears, wolves and even Great Horned Owls. These predators kill a porcupine by biting its unprotected face or by flipping it over to expose the vulnerable underside.

Do reptiles have spines?

A number of other characteristics can be found in amphibians, but they are found in other animal groups also. Amphibians are vertebrates, meaning they have a backbone. Reptiles, mammals, and birds have backbones, but they don't share other amphibian characteristics.

Do fish have spines?

Summary: Many fish species evolved parts of their fins into sharp, spiny, needle-like elements -- called fin spines -- that function to protect the fish against predators. Such spines have evolved independently in different lineages and are considered evolutionary drivers of fish diversity.

Do dogs have spines?

Like in people, the canine spine supports weight and encloses the spinal cord. The spine is located along the dorsal / top side of the canine's body and runs from the base of the head to the end of the tail. The canine spine is divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and caudal.