Journal articles: 'Echidna'

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Koh, Jennifer M. S., Leesa Haynes, Katherine Belov, and Philip W. Kuchel. "L-to-D-peptide isomerase in male echidna venom." Australian Journal of Zoology 58, no. 5 (2010): 284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo10045.

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The monotremes (the echidnas and the platypus) display both mammalian and reptilian features. Male monotremes have a bilateral crural gland that is connected via a duct to a spur on each hind limb. Male echidnas appear not to use their spurs as weapons in aggressive acts, but the crural system may have a role in reproductive behaviour because it appears only to be active during the breeding season. The secretions produced by the echidna’s crural gland have not hitherto been biochemically or pharmacologically characterised. We used reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to separate the components of echidna venom and compared the chromatograms with those from platypus venom. The echidna venom appears to contain fewer proteins and peptides than platypus venom; however, it appears to have defensin-like peptides that behave similarly on RP-HPLC to those in platypus venom. Like platypus venom, echidna venom has peptidyl aminoacyl l/d-peptide isomerase activity. An RP-HPLC-based assay showed that the second amino acid residue, of a probe synthetic hexapeptide, was converted into the d-form, when incubated with echidna venom.

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Dundas, Shannon J., Lara Osborne, Anna J. M. Hopkins, Katinka X. Ruthrof, and Patricia A. Fleming. "Bioturbation by echidna (." Australian Journal of Zoology 69, no. 5 (August 3, 2022): 197–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo22019.

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Bioturbation by digging animals is important for key forest ecosystem processes such as soil turnover, decomposition, nutrient cycling, water infiltration, seedling recruitment, and fungal dispersal. Despite their widespread geographic range, little is known about the role of the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) in forest ecosystems. We measured the density and size of echidna diggings in the Northern Jarrah Forest, south-western Australia, to quantify the contribution echidna make to soil turnover. We recorded an overall density of 298 echidna diggings per hectare, 21% of which were estimated to be less than 1 month old. The average size of digs was 50 ± 25 mm in depth and 160 ± 61 mm in length. After taking into account seasonal digging rates, we estimated that echidnas turn over 1.23 tonnes of soil ha−1 year−1 in this forest, representing an important role in ecosystem dynamics. Our work contributes to the growing body of evidence quantifying the role of these digging animals as critical ecosystem engineers. Given that the echidna is the only Australian digging mammal not severely impacted by population decline or range reduction, its functional contribution to health and resilience of forest ecosystems is increasingly important due to the functional loss of most Australian digging mammals.

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Frappell, P. B., C. E. Franklin, and G. C. Grigg. "Ventilatory and metabolic responses to hypoxia in the echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus." American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 267, no. 6 (December 1, 1994): R1510—R1515. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.1994.267.6.r1510.

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Oxygen consumption (VO2), CO2 production (VCO2), and minute ventilation (VE) together with breathing pattern were measured in echidnas during normoxia and hypoxia. In normoxia, VO2, VCO2, and VE were all found to be approximately 30% of the allometric prediction for a eutherian. As a consequence VE/VO2 and VE/VCO2 are as predicted for a mammal. This is in contrast to previous reports on the echidna in which the VE was shown to be low and the echidna, subsequently, to be in a state of hypoventilation. It is possible that the difference between this and previous studies is related to the resting state of the echidna; echidnas in this study adopted a curled-up "sleeping" posture, and measurements were made without tactile disturbance. Breathing pattern was typical of a semifossorial species in that inspiration time to total breath time was short when compared with the normal eutherian value. In graded hypoxia VE increased [threshold fractional concentration of inspired O2 (FIO2) = 0.125], predominantly the result of changes in frequency achieved through a shortening in expiration time. In acute hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.10) VE/metabolic rate showed a tendency to increase, mainly because of the increase in VE. Approximately 50% of the increase in VE could be attributed to the 25% increase in VO2 and VCO2 that occurred in acute hypoxia. Given that the general mammalian response to hypoxia is a drop in metabolic rate, possible reasons as to why the echidna does not decrease metabolic rate in hypoxia are discussed.

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Perry, Tahlia, Deborah Toledo-Flores, Wan X. Kang, Arthur Ferguson, Belinda Laming, Enkhjargal Tsend-Ayush, Shu L. Lim, and Frank Grützner. "Non-invasive genetic sexing technique for analysis of short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) populations." Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31, no. 7 (2019): 1289. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rd18142.

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Identifying male and female echidnas is challenging due to the lack of external genitalia or any other differing morphological features. This limits studies of wild populations and is a major problem for echidna captive management and breeding. Non-invasive genetic approaches to determine sex minimise the need for handling animals and are used extensively in other mammals. However, currently available approaches cannot be applied to monotremes because their sex chromosomes share no homology with sex chromosomes in other mammals. In this study we used recently identified X and Y chromosome-specific sequences to establish a non-invasive polymerase chain reaction-based technique to determine the sex of echidnas. Genomic DNA was extracted from echidna hair follicles followed by amplification of two Y chromosome (male-specific) genes (mediator complex subunit 26 Y-gametolog (CRSPY) and anti-Müllerian hormone Y-gametolog (AMHY)) and the X chromosome gene (anti-Müllerian hormone X-gametolog (AMHX)). Using this technique, we identified the sex of 10 juvenile echidnas born at Perth Zoo, revealing that eight of the 10 echidnas were female. Future use of the genetic sexing technique in echidnas will inform captive management, continue breeding success and can be used to investigate sex ratios and population dynamics in wild populations.

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Lunn, Tamika J., Stewart C. Nicol, Jessie C. Buettel, and Barry W. Brook. "Population demography of the Tasmanian short-beaked echidna (." Australian Journal of Zoology 69, no. 3 (March 15, 2022): 80–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo21037.

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Deriving estimates of demographic parameters and the processes driving them is crucial for identifying wildlife management options. The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is the most widely distributed native Australian mammal, yet little is known of its population dynamics due to its cryptic nature. Consequently, assessment of the impacts of climate and threats on echidna populations has been difficult. We analyse 19 years (1996–2014) of mark–recapture data to estimate survival and reproductive rates of a Tasmanian population of short-beaked echidna, and to evaluate the influence of regional weather patterns on its demographics. Population size showed high year-to-year variation, ranging from 1 to 40 echidnas km2 across the study area. Known-fate modelling of radio-tracked individuals suggested that climatic conditions impacted survival; average longevity was estimated at 16.7 years but only 4.8 years when the total spring/summer rainfall was below 125 mm, and 6.25 in years when temperatures more frequently exceeded 32°C. Recruitment, estimated from Pradel analyses, was low in the population (β = 0.08) and not significantly affected by climate. These results are the first quantitative estimates of climate effects, survival, and recruitment for this species, and suggest that climate-enhanced drying and temperature increase would pose a threat to echidna populations in Tasmania.

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Harris, Rachel L., Noel W. Davies, and Stewart C. Nicol. "Identification of desmostanol as a novel vertebrate sterol in short-beaked echidna secretions." Australian Mammalogy 35, no. 2 (2013): 255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am13002.

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Mass spectra and chromatographic data are presented to support the identification of cholest-24-en-3β-ol (desmostanol) in odorous secretions in Tasmanian short-beaked echidnas. This sterol has previously been described only in marine invertebrates and phytoplankton, and may have a role in chemical communication in the echidna.

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Walter, LR. "Appendicular Musculature in the Echidna, Tachyglossus-Aculeatus (Monotremata, Tachyglossidae)." Australian Journal of Zoology 36, no. 1 (1988): 65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9880065.

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An Australian echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus, was dissected in order to verify the positions, origins, and insertions of the major appendicular muscles. Muscle identifications followed Westling (1889). Drawings of muscles were made as the dissection progressed. In osteology and musculature, as in many other aspects of their biology, echidnas display a mosaic pattern of apparently reptilian, mammalian, and unique traits.

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LeeHong, P. A., X. Li, W. L. Bryden, and L. C. Ward. "Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and chemical composition as measures of body composition of the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus aculeatus)." Australian Journal of Zoology 67, no. 2 (2019): 73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo19034.

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Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a non-invasive technology for measurement of body composition that requires validation against reference methods when applied to a new species. The aim of this work was to validate DXA for the assessment of body composition of the echidna. Body composition was determined in the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus aculeatus) using a Norland XR36 DXA scanner and validated by proximate chemical analysis for dry matter, ash, crude fat (FM) and protein (as 6.25 × N) and bone mineral content (BMC). Echidnas were opportunistically obtained as ‘road kill’. Body composition data were compared between techniques by correlation and limits of agreement (LOA) analyses. Twenty-eight echidnas (11 males, 13 females, 4 not determined), weighing 520–5517 g, underwent analyses. Mean FM was 489.9 ± 439.5 g and 448.5 ± 337.5 g, lean mass was 2276.0 ± 1021.4 g and 2256.0 ± 1026.0 g, fat-free mass was 2356.3 ± 1055.1 g and 2389.5 ± 1081.1 g and BMC was 80.3 ± 39.5 g and 79.9 ± 42.4 g by DXA and chemical analysis, respectively. The two methods were highly correlated (0.84 to 0.99) and not significantly different, although LOA were large. DXA has the potential to be used to assess body composition of echidnas although further work is required to improve accuracy of measurement.

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9

Bech, Tine. "Echidna." Leonardo 43, no. 4 (August 2010): 388–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/leon_a_00015.

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10

Dutton-Regester, Kate, Tamara Keeley, Jane C. Fenelon, Alice Roser, Haley Meer, Andrew Hill, Michael Pyne, Marilyn B. Renfree, and Stephen Johnston. "Plasma progesterone secretion during gestation of the captive short-beaked echidna." Reproduction 162, no. 4 (October 1, 2021): 267–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/rep-21-0110.

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This study describes the progesterone profile during pregnancy in sexually mature female captive short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus aculeatus). Echidnas were monitored daily by video surveillance to confirm key reproductive behaviour. Plasma samples were collected and pouch morphology was assessed three times a week. The pouch of the female echidna only develops during gestation and it was possible to create a four-stage grading system using the most distinguishable characteristics of pouch development. Maximum pouch development was associated with declining progesterone concentrations, with the pouch closing in a drawstring-like manner at oviposition. Control of pouch development in pregnant echidnas is not yet clear but later pouch development is associated with a decrease in progesterone and pouch closure and may be under mechanical influences of the egg or young in the pouch. The length of pregnancy was 16.7 ± 0.2 days with a 15.1 ± 1.0 days luteal phase followed by an incubation period in the pouch. Eggs could be detected in utero at least 4 days before oviposition. Plasma progesterone peaked at 10.5 ± 0.9 ng/mL within 12 days of mating but then declined to basal levels within 1 day of oviposition and remained basal throughout egg incubation, confirming that progesterone is elevated throughout pregnancy and that gestation does not extend beyond the luteal phase. After the loss of an egg or pouch young, most females entered a second oestrous cycle and ovulated, suggesting echidnas are seasonally polyoestrous. The duration of the luteal phase in the echidna corresponds with that observed in other mammals.

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11

Proske, U., J. E. Gregory, and A. Iggo. "Sensory receptors in monotremes." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 353, no. 1372 (July 29, 1998): 1187–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1998.0275.

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This is a summary of the current knowledge of sensory receptors in skin of the bill of the platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus , and the snout of the echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus . Brief mention is also made of the third living member of the monotremes, the long–nosed echidna, Zaglossus bruijnii . The monotremes are the only group of mammals known to have evolved electroreception. The structures in the skin responsible for the electric sense have been identified as sensory mucous glands with an expanded epidermal portion that is innervated by large–diameter nerve fibres. Afferent recordings have shown that in both platypuses and echidnas the receptors are excited by cathodal (negative) pulses and inhibited by anodal (positive) pulses. Estimates give a total of 40 000 mucous sensory glands in the upper and lower bill of the platypus, whereas there are only about 100 in the tip of the echidna snout. Recordings of electroreceptor–evoked activity from the brain of the platypus have shown that the largest area dedicated to somatosensory input from the bill, S1, shows alternating rows of mechanosensory and bimodal neurons. The bimodal neurons respond to both electrosensory and mechanical inputs. In skin of the platypus bill and echidna snout, apart from the electroreceptors, there are structures called push rods, which consist of a column of compacted cells that is able to move relatively independently of adjacent regions of skin. At the base of the column are Merkel cell complexes, known to be type I slowly adapting mechanoreceptors, and lamellated corpuscles, probably vibration receptors. It has been speculated that the platypus uses its electric sense to detect the electromyographic activity from moving prey in the water and for obstacle avoidance. Mechanoreceptors signal contact with the prey. For the echidna, a role for the electrosensory system has not yet been established during normal foraging behaviour, although it has been shown that it is able to detect the presence of weak electric fields in water. Perhaps the electric sense is used to detect moving prey in moist soil.

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Badgery, Georgia J., Jasmin C. Lawes, and Keith E. A. Leggett. "Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) home range at Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research Station, NSW." PLOS ONE 16, no. 4 (April 16, 2021): e0242298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242298.

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Echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) are found Australia-wide and appear to be remarkably well-adapted to the arid zone, yet nearly all echidna research has been conducted in temperate, tropical and alpine zones. This study investigated the home range and movement of echidnas in western New South Wales. Radio telemetry tracking was used to locate the echidnas daily during the study period (March-May 2018, November 2018, March-May 2019 and August 2019); the observed home range was 1.47± 1.21km2. This is over twice the reported home range of temperate environments (<0.65km2), suggesting that echidnas exhibit larger home ranges in arid zones. The home range of individual echidnas ranged from 0.02km2 to 3.56km2. Echidnas exhibited a small degree of overlap (6.6%± 19.8%) but this varied considerably between individuals (between 0 to 84.2% overlap.) Four out of the thirteen echidnas died during this study, likely due to the severe drought that occurred during the study. This study provides insight into the movement and home range of echidnas in arid zones, revealing that desert echidnas have large home ranges, probably dependent on the availability of resources.

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13

Rismiller, Peggy D., and Roger S. Seymour. "The Echidna." Scientific American 264, no. 2 (February 1991): 96–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0291-96.

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Regnault, Sophie, and Stephanie E. Pierce. "Pectoral girdle and forelimb musculoskeletal function in the echidna ( Tachyglossus aculeatus ): insights into mammalian locomotor evolution." Royal Society Open Science 5, no. 11 (November 2018): 181400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181400.

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Although evolutionary transformation of the pectoral girdle and forelimb appears to have had a profound impact on mammalian locomotor and ecological diversity, both the sequence of anatomical changes and the functional implications remain unclear. Monotremes can provide insight into an important stage of this evolutionary transformation, due to their phylogenetic position as the sister-group to therian mammals and their mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived features. Here we build a musculoskeletal computer model of the echidna pectoral girdle and forelimb to estimate joint ranges of motion (ROM) and muscle moment arms (MMA)—two fundamental descriptors of biomechanical function. We find that the echidna's skeletal morphology restricts scapulocoracoid mobility and glenohumeral flexion–extension compared with therians. Estimated shoulder ROMs and MMAs for muscles crossing the shoulder indicate that morphology of the echidna pectoral girdle and forelimb is optimized for humeral adduction and internal rotation, consistent with limited in vivo data. Further, more muscles act to produce humeral long-axis rotation in the echidna compared to therians, as a consequence of differences in muscle geometry. Our musculoskeletal model allows correlation of anatomy and function, and can guide hypotheses regarding function in extinct taxa and the morphological and locomotor transformation leading to therian mammals.

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Nicol, Stewart C., Niels A. Andersen, Gemma E. Morrow, and Rachel L. Harris. "Spurs, sexual dimorphism and reproductive maturity in Tasmanian echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus setosus)." Australian Mammalogy 41, no. 2 (2019): 161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am18005.

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We present data from an 18-year study of a wild population of Tasmanian echidnas, which show that the presence of spurs in an adult are a reliable indicator of sex, and that there is a slight but significant sexual dimorphism in size, with a male to female mass ratio of 1.1. Minimum age at first breeding in the wild for Tasmanian echidnas was 5 years, as has been found on Kangaroo Island, compared with 3 years in captive echidnas. It is often assumed that although the echidna is distributed throughout Australia, New Guinea and off-shore islands that all aspects of its basic biology are the same in all populations, but comparisons of our results with data from other populations suggest that there may be differences in size and sexual dimorphism.

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Sprent, Jenny A., and Stewart C. Nicol. "Diet of the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) in the Tasmanian Southern Midlands." Australian Mammalogy 38, no. 2 (2016): 188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am15023.

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The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is generally considered to be myrmecophagous, consuming a diet consisting of ants and termites. The range and seasonal variation of food items consumed by echidnas in the Southern Midlands of Tasmania, an area where termites are absent, was examined using faecal scat analysis. Scat analysis indicated that echidnas in this region are not purely myrmecophagous. Whilst ants were present in 96% of scats and made up 55 ± 39% of scat contents by percentage volume, non-ant food items (scarab larvae and Oxycanus moth larvae) were found in 72% of scats. Scarab larvae were present in 68% of scats, and in those scats made up 46 ± 39% of the volume of prey material. The only significant seasonal variation of any dietary item was for scarab larvae, which can be attributed to variations in the abundance of these larvae throughout their lifecycle. The patterns of consumption indicate that echidnas are opportunistic foragers.

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Morrow, Gemma, Niels A. Andersen, and Stewart C. Nicol. "Reproductive strategies of the short-beaked echidna - a review with new data from a long-term study on the Tasmanian subspecies (Tachyglossus aculeatus setosus)." Australian Journal of Zoology 57, no. 4 (2009): 275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo09037.

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The short-beaked echidna is the most widely distributed endemic Australian mammal, and echidnas from different geographic areas differ so much in appearance that they have been assigned to several subspecies. In this paper, we present data obtained from free-ranging echidnas in southern Tasmania, and compare this with studies from other parts of Australia. In Tasmania mating occurs between early June and mid-September, and throughout Australia the normal breeding season lies within these limits. In echidnas from the more easterly parts of Australia reproduction closely follows hibernation, with Tasmanian echidnas showing a significant overlap between hibernation and reproduction. There is intense competition between males, and female echidnas from Tasmania show multiple matings. There are significant differences between echidnas from different areas of Australia in the use of nursery burrows and maternal care. One of the most dramatic differences is in duration of lactation: echidnas from Kangaroo Island wean the young at 204–210 days, but in Tasmania weaning occurs at 139–152 days, even though the masses of the young at weaning are comparable.

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Wallage, Andrea, Lauren Clarke, Lindy Thomas, Michael Pyne, Lyn Beard, Arthur Ferguson, Allan Lisle, and Stephen Johnston. "Advances in the captive breeding and reproductive biology of the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)." Australian Journal of Zoology 63, no. 3 (2015): 181. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo14069.

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Captive breeding of the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) has proven a difficult challenge; as recently as 2009, there were fewer than 10 echidnas born in captivity. We present observations of captive reproductive behaviour following video surveillance and measurements of body temperature collected from six captive female echidnas over a six-year period. In the first series of observations (2009–10) we examined the efficacy of artificial burrow boxes as possible aids for reproductive success. Females with access to burrow boxes had significantly higher levels of reproductive activity (P = 0.001), there was coincidental improvement in the production of eggs or pouch young (two eggs, one unhatched and one offspring). During 2009–10, a range of reproductive behaviours (courtship, copulation and postcopulation) were documented and analysed, as were new observations of oestrous cycle activity. Female body temperature was characteristically stable during egg incubation during this study and has the potential to be used as a tool for the assessment of reproductive status. Following initial observations, burrow boxes and infrared lamps were implemented as standard husbandry in our echidna breeding facility and the effects on reproductive success were monitored, albeit less intensively, for a further four years (2011–14). Although no direct causal effect could be ascribed, the use of burrow boxes and heat lamps coincided with a total of 13 young being born to four females in the last four years (2011–14). These female echidnas were found to be receptive at intervals throughout the breeding season, both before and after presumed incubation phases, suggesting that captive animals exhibit polyoestry. In 2012 and 2014, the same female showed evidence of producing two young from one breeding event.

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Ichino, Takuji, Kazuki Maeda, Ikuko Hara-Nishimura, and Tomoo Shimada. "Arabidopsis ECHIDNA protein is involved in seed coloration, protein trafficking to vacuoles, and vacuolar biogenesis." Journal of Experimental Botany 71, no. 14 (March 23, 2020): 3999–4009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraa147.

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Abstract Flavonoids are a major group of plant-specific metabolites that determine flower and seed coloration. In plant cells, flavonoids are synthesized at the cytosolic surface of the endoplasmic reticulum and are sequestered in the vacuole. It is possible that membrane trafficking, including vesicle trafficking and organelle dynamics, contributes to flavonoid transport and accumulation. However, the underlying mechanism has yet to be fully elucidated. Here we show that the Arabidopsis ECHIDNA protein plays a role in flavonoid accumulation in the vacuole and protein trafficking to the vacuole. We found defective pigmentation patterns in echidna seed, possibly caused by reduced levels of proanthocyanidins, which determine seed coloration. The echidna mutant has defects in protein sorting to the protein storage vacuole as well as vacuole morphology. These findings indicate that ECHIDNA is involved in the vacuolar trafficking pathway as well as the previously described secretory pathway. In addition, we found a genetic interaction between echidna and green fluorescent seed 9 (gfs9), a membrane trafficking factor involved in flavonoid accumulation. Our findings suggest that vacuolar trafficking and/or vacuolar development, both of which are collectively regulated by ECHIDNA and GFS9, are required for flavonoid accumulation, resulting in seed coat pigmentation.

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Rismiller, P. "Australiens geheimnisvolle Echidna." Naturwissenschaften 82, no. 12 (December 1995): 551–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf01140243.

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Burton, Adrian. "The echidna enigma." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 14, no. 3 (April 2016): 172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fee.1256.

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Rismiller, P. "Australiens geheimnisvolle Echidna." Naturwissenschaften 82, no. 12 (December 1, 1995): 551–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s001140050231.

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BICKELMANN, CONSTANZE, JAMES M. MORROW, JOHANNES MÜLLER, and BELINDA S. W. CHANG. "Functional characterization of the rod visual pigment of the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), a basal mammal." Visual Neuroscience 29, no. 4-5 (July 9, 2012): 211–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952523812000223.

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AbstractMonotremes are the most basal egg-laying mammals comprised of two extant genera, which are largely nocturnal. Visual pigments, the first step in the sensory transduction cascade in photoreceptors of the eye, have been examined in a variety of vertebrates, but little work has been done to study the rhodopsin of monotremes. We isolated the rhodopsin gene of the nocturnal short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and expressed and functionally characterized the protein in vitro. Three mutants were also expressed and characterized: N83D, an important site for spectral tuning and metarhodopsin kinetics, and two sites with amino acids unique to the echidna (T158A and F169A). The λmax of echidna rhodopsin (497.9 ± 1.1 nm) did not vary significantly in either T158A (498.0 ± 1.3 nm) or F169A (499.4 ± 0.1 nm) but was redshifted in N83D (503.8 ± 1.5 nm). Unlike other mammalian rhodopsins, echidna rhodopsin did react when exposed to hydroxylamine, although not as fast as cone opsins. The retinal release rate of light-activated echidna rhodopsin, as measured by fluorescence spectroscopy, had a half-life of 9.5 ± 2.6 min−1, which is significantly shorter than that of bovine rhodopsin. The half-life of the N83D mutant was 5.1 ± 0.1 min−1, even shorter than wild type. Our results show that with respect to hydroxylamine sensitivity and retinal release, the wild-type echidna rhodopsin displays major differences to all previously characterized mammalian rhodopsins and appears more similar to other nonmammalian vertebrate rhodopsins such as chicken and anole. However, our N83D mutagenesis results suggest that this site may mediate adaptation in the echidna to dim light environments, possibly via increased stability of light-activated intermediates. This study is the first characterization of a rhodopsin from a most basal mammal and indicates that there might be more functional variation in mammalian rhodopsins than previously assumed.

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Young, Heather M., and John D. Pettigrew. "Cone photoreceptors lacking oil droplets in the retina of the echinda,Tachyglossus aculeatus(Monotremata)." Visual Neuroscience 6, no. 5 (May 1991): 409–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952523800001279.

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AbstractThe echidna,Tachyglossus aculeatus, a monotreme mammal, is thought to possess an all-rod retina (O' Day, 1952). This study provides anatomical evidence for the presence of cone-like photoreceptors in the retina of the echidna. The cones, which constitute 10–15% of the photoreceptors, have all of the ultrastructural characteristics previously shown in the cones of placental mammals, and, like the cones of other animals (Blanks & Johnson, 1984), they bind peanut agglutinin. Unlike the cones of another monotreme, the platypus, the cones of the echidna retina do not possess oil droplets. Twin cones, pairs of cones in which there is no obvious difference in the size, shape, or ultrastructural features of the members of a pair, are common. The density of cones varies from 9000 cells/mm2in the superior periphery to 22,000 cells/mm2in the central retina. Nearest-neighbor analysis suggests that the cone mosaic in the echidna retina results from the presence of single and twin cones in a relatively regular array.

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Oates, J. E., F. J. Bradshaw, S. D. Bradshaw, and R. A. Lonsdale. "Sex identification and evidence of gonadal activity in the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) (Monotremata : Tachyglossidae): non-invasive analysis of faecal sex steroids." Australian Journal of Zoology 50, no. 4 (2002): 395. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo02017.

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The sex of three short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus), part of a captive colony in which no successful births have occurred, was determined by measuring levels of faecal sex steroids over a period of two months. Levels of faecal oestradiol-17β were found not to differ between male and female short-beaked echidnas. However, measurement of the oestradiol : androgen ratio (E : A ratio) and androgen concentrations successfully identified one male and two female echidnas. Mean E : A ratios for the two females were 18 ± 6 and 23 ± 8, compared with 1.3 ± 0.6 for the male. The mean androgen concentration for the male was 10.1 ± 2.3 ng g–1 dried faeces, and 1.7 ± 0.5 and 2.2 ± 0.6 ng g–1 dried faeces for the two females. The E : A ratio allowed correct identification of the sex of the echidnas 80% of the time, whereas the androgen concentration correctly identified the sex 75% of the time but was reliable only during the breeding season. Both the male and female echidnas showed evidence of gonadal activity; lack of breeding in captivity was therefore not due to all animals being of the same sex or lacking reproductive activity. The study has demonstrated that faecal steroid analysis is an accurate method for sex determination in the short-beaked echidna and further monitoring of these hormones may elucidate many of the unknown aspects of their reproductive biology.

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Gooden, B. A., and M. L. Augee. "Penetration ability of echidna spines and porcupine quills." Australian Mammalogy 37, no. 1 (2015): 23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am14003.

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The structure and function of 10 echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) spines and 10 cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) quills were compared with regard to their ability to penetrate a mammalian muscle tissue analogue (10% gelatine). All specimens showed a significant correlation between the load applied and the depth of penetration into the gel. There was no significant difference between the penetration ability of the echidna spines and the porcupine quills despite the finding that quills had a significantly smaller angle at the tip of the spine (opening angle). The penetration ability of echidna spines was inversely related to the opening angle whereas there was no such correlation in porcupine quills. These findings are discussed in relation to the different response of these two species to possible predators.

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Bakker, Anthony J., Ann L. Parkinson, and Stewart I. Head. "Contractile properties of single-skinned skeletal muscle fibres of the extensor digitorum longus muscle of the Australian short-nosed echidna." Australian Journal of Zoology 53, no. 4 (2005): 237. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo05011.

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Eutherian mammal fast-twitch muscle fibres share similar contractile activation properties, suggesting that these properties are highly conserved in mammals. To investigate this hypothesis, we examined the contractile properties of skeletal muscle from the order Monotremata, a mammalian order that separated from eutherians 150 million years ago. The Ca2+- and Sr2+-activation properties of single mechanically skinned skeletal muscle fibres from the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of the short-nosed echidna were determined. Sigmoidal curves fitted to force response data plotted as a function of pCa (–log[Ca2+]), had a mean slope of 4.32 ± 0.28 and a mean pCa50 and pCa10 value of 6.18 ± 0.01 and 6.41 ± 0.02 respectively (n = 20). The mean pSr50, pSr10 and slope values of curves fitted to the force-response data after activation with Sr2+ were 4.80 ± 0.03, 5.29 ± 0.07 and 2.75 ± 0.18 respectively (n = 20). The mean pCa50–pSr50 value for the echidna EDL fibres was 1.37 ± 0.04. In five of the echidna fibres, exposure to submaximal Ca2+ concentrations produced myofibrillar force oscillations (mean frequency, 0.13 ± 0.01 Hz), a phenomenon found only in eutherian slow and intermediate muscle fibres. These results show that echidna EDL fibres generally have similar contractile properties to eutherian fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibres, such as those found in the EDL of the rat.

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G. Quin, Darren. "Platypus and Echidnas." Pacific Conservation Biology 3, no. 2 (1997): 163. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc970163.

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Platypus and Echidnas presents the proceedings of a conference held at the University of New South Wales in July 1991. Platypus and Echidnas incorporates an extensive information source obtained from studies undertaken since the first symposium on "Monotreme Biology" in 1978, while highlighting deficiencies in our knowledge, and subsequently suggests further avenues for research. The theme of evolution re-occurs throughout the publication and the studies demonstrate how patterns of mammalian phylogeny may be derived from various sources including palaeontology, gene mapping, DNA hybridization, reproductive physiology and endocrinology. Interest in this publication will extend to: (i) scholars of phylogeny and evolution especially part 1); (ii) comparative physiologist, physiological ecologists and anatomists (parts 1, 3, 4 and 5); (iii) ecologists and sacio-ecologists (parts 3, 5 and 6); (iv) natural historians; (v) keepers of captive wildlife colonies (parts 3 and 6); (vi) wildlife veterinary surgeons (part 6); and (vii) wildlife managers (especially part 6). The book deals primarily with the short-beaked echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus and the platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus, for which most information is available.

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GIBSON, GARY A. P. "Redescription of Anastatus mantoidae Motschulsky, the type species of Anastatus Motschulsky 1859, and Anastatus echidna (Motschulsky), the type species of Cacotropia Motschulsky 1863, with respect to taxonomy of Anastatus (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae: Eupelminae)." Zootaxa 4748, no. 3 (March 9, 2020): 485–513. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4748.3.5.

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Both sexes of Anastatus mantoidae Motschulsky, the type species of Anastatus Motschulsky, 1859, and females of Anastatus echidna (Motschulsky), the type species of Cacotropia Motschulsky, 1863, the oldest junior synonym of Anastatus (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae: Eupelminae), are redescribed and illustrated based on original type material and compared to more recently collected material. Anastatus mantoidae, previously known only from Sri Lanka, is newly reported from Indonesia (Java and Sumatra) and Thailand, and a very similar species, A. motschulskyi n. sp., is newly described based on both sexes from Malaysia (Sabah) and Thailand and compared to A. mantoidae. Anastatus echidna, also originally known only from Sri Lanka, is newly reported from India, Pakistan and Thailand, and potential synonymy of one or both of Anastatus amarus (Subba Rao, 1957) and Anastatus acherontiae Narayanan, Subba Rao & Ramachandra Rao, 1960, under A. echidna is discussed.

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WAKEFIELD, MATTHEW J., MARK ANDERSON, ELLEN CHANG, KE-JUN WEI, RAJINDER KAUL, JENNIFER A. MARSHALL GRAVES, FRANK GRÜTZNER, and SAMIR S. DEEB. "Cone visual pigments of monotremes: Filling the phylogenetic gap." Visual Neuroscience 25, no. 3 (May 2008): 257–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952523808080255.

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We have determined the sequence and genomic organization of the genes encoding the cone visual pigment of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), and inferred their spectral properties and evolutionary pathways. We prepared platypus and echidna retinal RNA and used primers of the middle-wave-sensitive (MWS), long-wave-sensitive (LWS), and short-wave sensitive (SWS1) pigments corresponding to coding sequences that are highly conserved among mammals; to PCR amplify the corresponding pigment sequences. Amplification from the retinal RNA revealed the expression of LWS pigment mRNA that is homologous in sequence and spectral properties to the primate LWS visual pigments. However, we were unable to amplify the mammalian SWS1 pigment from these two species, indicating this gene was lost prior to the echidna-platypus divergence (∼21 MYA). Subsequently, when the platypus genome sequence became available, we found an LWS pigment gene in a conserved genomic arrangement that resembles the primate pigment, but, surprisingly we found an adjacent (∼20 kb) SWS2 pigment gene within this conserved genomic arrangement. We obtained the same result after sequencing the echidna genes. The encoded SWS2 pigment is predicted to have a wavelength of maximal absorption of about 440 nm, and is paralogous to SWS pigments typically found in reptiles, birds, and fish but not in mammals. This study suggests the locus control region (LCR) has played an important role in the conservation of photo receptor gene arrays and the control of their spatial and temporal expression in the retina in all mammals. In conclusion, a duplication event of an ancestral cone visual pigment gene, followed by sequence divergence and selection gave rise to the LWS and SWS2 visual pigments. So far, the echidna and platypus are the only mammals that share the gene structure of the LWS-SWS2 pigment gene complex with reptiles, birds and fishes.

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Siegel, J. M., P. R. Manger, R. Nienhuis, H. M. Fahringer, and J. D. Pettigrew. "Monotremes and the evolution of rapid eye movement sleep." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 353, no. 1372 (July 29, 1998): 1147–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1998.0272.

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Early studies of the echidna led to the conclusion that this monotreme did not have rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Because the monotremes had diverged from the placental and marsupial lines very early in mammalian evolution, this finding was used to support the hypothesis that REM sleep evolved after the start of the mammalian line. The current paper summarizes our recent work on sleep in the echidna and platypus and leads to a very different interpretation. By using neuronal recording from mesopontine regions in the echidna, we found that despite the presence of a high–voltage cortical electroencephalogram (EEG), brainstem units fire in irregular bursts intermediate in intensity between the regular non–REM sleep pattern and the highly irregular REM sleep pattern seen in placentals. Thus the echidna displays brainstem activation during sleep with high–voltage cortical EEG. This work encouraged us to do the first study of sleep, to our knowledge, in the platypus. In the platypus we saw sleep with vigorous rapid eye, bill and head twitching, identical in behaviour to that which defines REM sleep in placental mammals. Recording of the EEG in the platypus during natural sleep and waking states revealed that it had moderate and high–voltage cortical EEGs during this REM sleep state. The platypus not only has REM sleep, but it had more of it than any other animal. The lack of EEG voltage reduction during REM sleep in the platypus, and during the REM sleep–like state of the echidna, has some similarity to the sleep seen in neonatal sleep in placentals. The very high amounts of REM sleep seen in the platypus also fit with the increased REM sleep duration seen in altricial mammals. Our findings suggest that REM sleep originated earlier in mammalian evolution than had previously been thought and is consistent with the hypothesis that REM sleep, or a precursor state with aspects of REM sleep, may have had its origin in reptilian species.

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Kageyama, Hiroshi. "Powder Neutron Diffraction Experiments at ECHIDNA." hamon 22, no. 1 (2012): 10–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.5611/hamon.22.1_10.

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JOHNSTON, SD, C. MADDEN, V. NICOLSON, G. COWIN, M. PYNE, and R. BOOTH. "Venipuncture in the Short-beaked Echidna." Australian Veterinary Journal 84, no. 1-2 (January 2006): 66–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2006.tb13132.x.

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Avdeev, M., J. R. Hester, V. K. Peterson, and A. J. Studer. "Wombat and Echidna: The Powder Diffractometers." Neutron News 20, no. 4 (October 23, 2009): 29–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10448630903241100.

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Krause, William J. "Microscopy of the Echidna Sublingual Glands." Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia 40, no. 5 (June 15, 2011): 345–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0264.2011.01089.x.

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Vanpé, C., E. Buschiazzo, J. Abdelkrim, G. Morrow, S. C. Nicol, and N. J. Gemmell. "Development of microsatellite markers for the short-beaked echidna using three different approaches." Australian Journal of Zoology 57, no. 4 (2009): 219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo09033.

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We used three different methods, size-selected genomic library, cross-species amplification of a mammal-wide set of conserved microsatellites and genomic sequencing, to develop a panel of 43 microsatellite loci for the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus). These loci were screened against 13 individuals from three different regions (Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, Perth region), spanning the breadth of the range of the short-beaked echidna. Nine of the 43 tested loci amplified reliably, generated clear peaks on the electropherogram and were polymorphic, with the number of alleles per locus ranging from two to eight (mean = 3.78) in the individuals tested. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.16 to 0.78, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.19 to 0.84. One of the nine microsatellites showed a heterozygote deficit, suggesting a high probability of null alleles. The genomic sequencing approach using data derived from the Roche FLX platform is likely to provide the most promising method to develop echidna microsatellites. The microsatellite markers developed here will be useful tools to study population genetic structure, gene flow, kinship and parentage in Tachyglossus sp. and potentially also in endangered Zaglossus species.

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Anderson, WK, and R. McLean. "Increased responsiveness of short oat cultivars to early sowing, nitrogen fertilizer and seed rate." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 40, no. 4 (1989): 729. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar9890729.

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Oat cultivars of tall (West), intermediate (Mortlock) and dwarf height (Echidna) were compared for their response to sowing time, nitrogen fertilizer and seed rate. Experiments were carried out in the 500-800 mm average annual rainfall zone in Western Australia at nine sites. Cultivars were compared in experiments involving different times (3) of sowing, levels (5) of applied nitrogen and rates (5) of seed and in another experiment including all combinations of two levels of sowing time, nitrogen and seed. The optimum sowing times for the three cultivars were similar, but the yield advantage for Echidna over West was 0.63 t ha-1 for late May sowing but only 0.25 t ha-1 for sowing in late July. Yield responses to applied nitrogen were dependent on soil nitrogen status, seasonal rainfall, sowing date, cultivar and seed-rate. On average, Echidna was more responsive (0.42 t ha-1) to the initial 30 kg ha-1 of nitrogen than Mortlock (0.23 t ha-1). The optimum seed rate (where an increase of 1 kg of seed increased yield by 10 kg ha-1) was 77, 67 and 61 kg ha-1 for Echidna, Mortlock and West corresponding to 225, 185 and 160 plants m-2. The largest yielding combination of cultivar, time of sowing, nitrogen and seed rates increased yields by from 1.32 to 3.23 t ha-1 (51-220%) compared to the control or low input treatment. Biomass at heading increased linearly to about 6.5 t ha-1 with rainfall up to 200 mm. Rainfall to heading in excess of 200 mm appeared to be inefficiently used for biomass production. Grain yields also increased linearly up to about 4 t ha-1 with increasing biomass at heading and up to 6 t ha-l with the correct choice of cultivar, time of sowing, nitrogen and seed rates.

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Rismiller, Peggy D., and Frank Grutzner. "Tachyglossus aculeatus (Monotremata: Tachyglossidae)." Mammalian Species 51, no. 980 (October 3, 2019): 75–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mspecies/sez012.

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Abstract Tachyglossus aculeatus (Shaw, 1792) is a monotreme commonly called the short-beaked echidna. Although considered Australia’s most common native mammal because of its continent-wide distribution, its population numbers everywhere are low. It is easily distinguished from all other native Australian mammals because of its spine-covered body, hairless beak, and unique “rolling” gait. The five subspecies, one of which is found in Papua New Guinea, show variations in fur density, spine diameter, length, and number of grooming claws. The Kangaroo Island short-beaked echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus is listed as “Endangered” but all other Tachyglossus are listed as “Least Concern” in the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List.

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Trevisan, Giusto, Marina Cinco, Sara Trevisini, Nicola di Meo, Karin Chersi, Maurizio Ruscio, Patrizia Forgione, and Serena Bonin. "Borreliae Part 1: Borrelia Lyme Group and Echidna-Reptile Group." Biology 10, no. 10 (October 12, 2021): 1036. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology10101036.

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Borreliae are divided into three groups, namely the Lyme group (LG), the Echidna-Reptile group (REPG) and the Relapsing Fever group (RFG). Currently, only Borrelia of the Lyme and RF groups (not all) cause infection in humans. Borreliae of the Echidna-Reptile group represent a new monophyletic group of spirochaetes, which infect amphibians and reptiles. In addition to a general description of the phylum Spirochaetales, including a brief historical digression on spirochaetosis, in the present review Borreliae of Lyme and Echidna-Reptile groups are described, discussing the ecology with vectors and hosts as well as microbiological features and molecular characterization. Furthermore, differences between LG and RFG are discussed with respect to the clinical manifestations. In humans, LG Borreliae are organotropic and cause erythema migrans in the early phase of the disease, while RFG Borreliae give high spirochaetemia with fever, without the development of erythema migrans. With respect of LG Borreliae, recently Borrelia mayonii, with intermediate characteristics between LG and RFG, has been identified. As part of the LG, it gives erythema migrans but also high spirochaetemia with fever. Hard ticks are vectors for both LG and REPG groups, but in LG they are mostly Ixodes sp. ticks, while in REPG vectors do not belong to that genus.

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Visintin, Monica. "Di Echidna, e di altre femmine anguiformi." Mètis. Anthropologie des mondes grecs anciens 12, no. 1 (1997): 205–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/metis.1997.1068.

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BOLLIGER, A., and T. C. BACKHOUSE. "BLOOD STUDIES ON THE ECHIDNA TACHYGLOSSUS ACULEATUS." Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 135, no. 1 (August 20, 2009): 91–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1960.tb05832.x.

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Johnston, S. D., B. Smith, M. Pyne, D. Stenzel, and W. V. Holt. "One‐Sided Ejaculation of Echidna Sperm Bundles." American Naturalist 170, no. 6 (December 2007): E162—E164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/522847.

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Collett, Robert. "3. On Echidna acanthion from Northern Queensland." Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 53, no. 1 (August 21, 2009): 148–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1885.tb02889.x.

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Murtagh, Carolyn E., and G. B. Sharman. "Monotreme chromosomes: an introductory review." Australian Journal of Zoology 57, no. 4 (2009): 149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo09036.

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The three extant genera of the prototherian mammals, Ornithorhynchus (platypus), Tachyglossus (Australian echidna) and Zaglossus (New Guinea echidna), all have a mechanism of sex determination at odds with that seen in eutherian and metatherian mammals. Indeed, they stand apart from all vertebrates. Instead of the XX/XY, X1X2Y or ZZ/ZW systems seen in the majority of vertebrates the monotremes have a chain of nine (or ten) chromosomes present during meiosis in the male. This is believed to be the consequence of a presumed series of reciprocal translocations involving four autosomal pairs and the original X and Y chromosomes. The presence of this chain in all three genera indicates that a similar chain occurred in their common ancestor. This paper provides an overview of the search to unravel the mystery of this chain and to determine the identity of the sex chromosomes and members of the chain. The development of new techniques has hugely facilitated clarification of the findings of the earlier researchers. As a result, the chromosomes of the platypus and the echidna have now been individually described, the chain elements and/or sex chromosomes have been identified unambiguously and their order in the chain has been determined. The research reviewed here has also provided insights into the evolution of mammalian sex chromosomes and given new directions for unravelling dosage compensation and sex-determination mechanisms in mammals.

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Messer, Michael, Mervyn Griffiths, Peggy D. Rismiller, and Denis C. Shaw. "Lactose Synthesis in a Monotreme, the Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus): Isolation and Amino Acid Sequence of Echidna α-Lactalbumin." Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 118, no. 2 (October 1997): 403–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0305-0491(97)00162-4.

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Awak, Tresia Frida, Sepus Fatem, and Aksamina Yohanita. "Sistem Perburuan Landak Moncong Panjang (Zaglossus bruijnii) pada Masyarakat Kampung Waibem dan Kampung Saukorem Tambrauw, Papua Barat." Jurnal Ilmu Kehutanan 9, no. 1 (March 22, 2016): 57. http://dx.doi.org/10.22146/jik.10184.

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Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui sistem perburuan landak moncong panjang (Zaglossus bruijnii) oleh masyarakat kampung Waibem dan Saukorem, Kabupaten Tambrauw. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Kampung Waibem dan Saukorem selama 1 bulan, yaitu sejak bulan Juli-Agustus 2014. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan teknik observasi lapangan dan wawancara semi struktural yang mengacu pada daftar kuisioner. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa umumnya masyarakat Kampung Waibem dan Saukorem melakukan perburuan dengan 3 (tiga) tujuan, yaitu untuk dikonsumsi, dijual, dan sebagai hiburan. Masyarakat Kampung Waibem dan Saukorem berburu landak moncong panjang dengan menggunakan jerat, parang, bantuan anjing, dan berburu secara visual (bantuan mata). Waktu berburu landak moncong panjang adalah sehabis hujan, bulan sabit, dan pada malam hari. Pengembangan ekowisata berbasis satwa landak moncong panjang menjadi salah satu strategi untuk menambah pendapatan masyarakat pada kedua kampung serta secara perlahan-lahan mengurangi tingkat perburuan masyarakat.Kata kunci: sistem perburuan, Zaglossus bruijnii, landak moncong panjang, Saukorem Village, Waibem Village Hunting system of long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii) by Waibem and Saukorem local communities, Tambrauw Regency, West PapuaAbstractThe objective of this research was to investigate hunting system of western long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii) by Waibem and Saukorem Local Communities, Tambrauw Regency in Papua Province of Indonesia during July to August 2014. The observation technique and semi-structural interview were carried out by asking local people through questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive method. The result shows that local people in Waibem and Saukorem villagers generally do hunting for consumption, commercial/sale and hobby. The hunting method used by these communities were lasso, chopping knife, dog, and visual hunting. Hunting time of western long-beaked echidnais normally done after rain, crescent moon, and during night. Eco-tourism development is expected to increase the income of local people as well as reducing hunting pressure of this species.

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Antonsson, Annika, and Nigel A. J. McMillan. "Papillomavirus in healthy skin of Australian animals." Journal of General Virology 87, no. 11 (November 1, 2006): 3195–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.82195-0.

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Papillomaviruses are a group of ubiquitous viruses that are often found in normal skin of humans, as well as a range of different vertebrates. In this study, swab samples collected from the healthy skin of 225 Australian animals from 54 species were analysed for the presence of papillomavirus DNA with the general skin papillomavirus primer pair FAP59/FAP64. A total of five putative and potential new animal papillomavirus types were identified from three different animal species. The papillomaviruses were detected in one monotreme and two marsupial species: three from koalas, and one each from an Eastern grey kangaroo and an echidna. The papillomavirus prevalence in the three species was 14 % (10/72) in koalas, 20 % (1/5) in echidnas and 4 % (1/23) in Eastern grey kangaroos. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on the putative koala papillomavirus type that could be cloned and it appears in the phylogenetic tree as a novel putative papillomavirus genus. The data extend the range of species infected by papillomaviruses to the most primitive mammals: the monotremes and the marsupials.

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Krige, Anna-Sheree, Siew-May Loh, and Charlotte L. Oskam. "New host records for ticks (Acari : Ixodidae) from the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) revealed in Australian museum survey." Australian Journal of Zoology 65, no. 6 (2017): 379. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo18018.

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A nationwide survey was conducted for ticks (Ixodidae) removed from echidnas, Tachyglossus aculeatus (Shaw, 1792), that had been previously collected between 1928 and 2013, and archived within Australian national (Australian National Insect Collection, Australian Capital Territory) and state (Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia) natural history collections. A total of 850 ticks from 89 T. aculeatus hosts were morphologically identified to determine instar, sex and species. Seven larvae, 349 nymphs and 494 adults were identified; 235 were female and 259 were male. The most common tick species was Bothriocroton concolor (Neumann, 1899) (89.2%). In addition, ticks previously recorded from T. aculeatus were identified, including Amblyomma australiense Neumann, 1905 (1.8%), Amblyomma echidnae Roberts, 1953 (0.1%), Bothriocroton hydrosauri (Denny, 1843) (1.4%), Bothriocroton tachyglossi (Roberts, 1953) (1.5%) and Ixodes tasmani Neumann, 1899 (1.2%). For the first time, 22 Amblyomma fimbriatum Koch, 1844 (2.6%) and 19 Amblyomma triguttatum Koch, 1844 (2.2%) ticks were recorded from T. aculeatus. This is the first survey to utilise archived Australian tick collections for the purpose of acquiring new data on tick species that parasitise T. aculeatus.

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Saber, Ashraf, and A. Hassanin. "Morphology of Auditory Canal of Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)." Journal of Veterinary Anatomy 7, no. 1 (April 1, 2014): 113–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.21608/jva.2014.44720.

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DOBRORUKA, LUDEK J. "Einige Beobachtungen an Ameisenigeln, Echidna aculeata Shaw (1792)." Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie 17, no. 2 (April 26, 2010): 178–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1960.tb00201.x.

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Journal articles on the topic 'Echidna'

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