Echidna vs. Pangolin — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 4, 2024
Echidnas are egg-laying mammals known for their spiny coats and snouts, native to Australia and New Guinea. Pangolins, covered in protective keratin scales, are mammals found in Asia and Africa, known for their unique feeding habit on ants and termites.
Difference Between Echidna and Pangolin
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Echidnas, belonging to the monotreme family, are distinguished by their spiky appearance and method of reproduction, laying eggs like reptiles. On the other hand, pangolins, part of the order Pholidota, are characterized by their full-body armor of scales, a rare feature among mammals that serves as protection against predators.
While echidnas are equipped with a long, sticky tongue to capture their prey, mainly ants and termites, they also possess strong claws for breaking into termite mounds and a specialized snout for probing. Pangolins also utilize a long, sticky tongue for feeding but lack teeth entirely; instead, they rely on their strong stomach muscles and ingested stones to grind down their insect diet.
Echidnas are solitary animals, primarily active during the cooler parts of the day or night to avoid overheating due to their low metabolic rate and lack of sweat glands. Conversely, pangolins are also solitary but exhibit varied activity patterns depending on their habitat; some species are nocturnal, while others are more active during the day.
The habitat of echidnas encompasses forests, woodlands, and scrublands across Australia and New Guinea, demonstrating their adaptability to various environments. In contrast, pangolins inhabit tropical and subtropical regions in Asia and Africa, ranging from savannas and grasslands to forests, adapting to a wide range of climates but facing severe threats from habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade.
Echidnas contribute to their ecosystems by aerating soil and controlling insect populations, playing an important role in the ecological balance. Pangolins, while also insectivorous, are critically important for maintaining the balance of their ecosystems by controlling insect populations, particularly termites and ants, but are among the most trafficked mammals in the world due to demand for their scales and meat.
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Comparison Chart
Classification
Monotremata (egg-laying mammals)
Pholidota (mammals with keratin scales)
Diet
Ants, termites, and other small invertebrates
Primarily ants and termites
Reproduction
Lays eggs
Gives birth to live young
Defense Mechanisms
Spines for protection against predators
Hard, keratinous scales
Habitat
Australia and New Guinea, in various environments
Asia and Africa, in tropical and subtropical regions
Activity Patterns
Mostly nocturnal or crepuscular, depending on the temperature
Nocturnal or diurnal, depending on the species
Compare with Definitions
Echidna
They utilize their sticky tongues to feed on ants and termites.
An echidna can consume thousands of ants in a single meal.
Pangolin
They are the only mammals wholly covered in keratin scales.
A pangolin can curl into a ball, using its scales as armor against predators.
Echidna
Their spines provide defense against predators.
When threatened, an echidna will curl into a ball, exposing only its spines.
Pangolin
Pangolins are mammals covered in scales, found in Asia and Africa, and feed on insects.
The Chinese pangolin is critically endangered due to illegal trade.
Echidna
Echidnas are important for soil health through their foraging behavior.
By digging for insects, echidnas help aerate the soil.
Pangolin
Pangolins play a crucial role in controlling termite populations.
A single pangolin can consume up to 70 million insects annually.
Echidna
Echidnas possess a low metabolism and lack sweat glands.
To cool down, echidnas often take shelter in burrows.
Pangolin
Pangolins lack teeth and consume stones to help grind their insect diet.
After eating, pangolins will visit water to aid in digestion.
Echidna
Echidnas are spiny monotremes native to Australia and New Guinea, known for their egg-laying.
The short-beaked echidna is common across Australia.
Pangolin
They face critical threats from poaching and habitat loss.
Millions of pangolins have been trafficked for their scales and meat.
Echidna
Echidnas (), sometimes known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. The four extant species of echidnas and the platypus are the only living mammals that lay eggs and the only surviving members of the order Monotremata.
Pangolin
Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (, from Ancient Greek ϕολιδωτός - "clad in scales"). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: Manis, Phataginus, and Smutsia.
Echidna
A spiny insectivorous egg-laying mammal with a long snout and claws, native to Australia and New Guinea.
Pangolin
An African and Asian mammal that has a body covered with horny overlapping scales, a small head with an elongated snout, a long sticky tongue for catching ants and termites, and a tapering tail.
Echidna
Any of several nocturnal burrowing egg-laying mammals of the genera Tachyglossus and Zaglossus of Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea, having a spiny coat, a slender snout, and an extensible sticky tongue used for catching insects.Also called spiny anteater.
Pangolin
Any of several long-tailed, scale-covered mammals of the order Pholidota of tropical Africa and Asia, having a long snout and a sticky tongue for catching and eating ants and termites. Also called scaly anteater.
Echidna
Any of the species of small spined monotremes in family Tachyglossidae, the four extant species of which are found in Australia and southern New Guinea.
Pangolin
The scaly anteater; any of several long-tailed, scale-covered mammals of the order Pholidota of tropical Africa and Asia, the sole extant genus of which is Manis.
Echidna
A monster, half maid and half serpent.
Pangolin
Any one of several species of Manis, Pholidotus, and related genera, found in Africa and Asia. They are covered with imbricated scales, and feed upon ants. Called also scaly ant-eater.
Echidna
A genus of Monotremata found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. They are toothless and covered with spines; - called also porcupine ant-eater, and Australian ant-eater.
Pangolin
Toothless mammal of southern Africa and Asia having a body covered with horny scales and a long snout for feeding on ants and termites
Echidna
New Guinea echidnas
Echidna
Burrowing spine-covered monotreme of Australia having a long snout and claws for hunting ants and termites
Common Curiosities
Why are pangolins endangered?
Pangolins are endangered due to illegal wildlife trade, poaching for their scales and meat, and habitat destruction.
How do echidnas defend themselves?
Echidnas use their spines as a defense mechanism, curling into a ball to protect their underparts from predators.
What is a pangolin?
A pangolin is a mammal characterized by its protective keratin scales, found in Asia and Africa, primarily feeding on ants and termites.
Can echidnas swim?
Yes, echidnas are capable swimmers, using their snout and feet to propel through water while keeping their spines above the surface.
What kind of habitats do echidnas prefer?
Echidnas can live in a variety of habitats, including forests, woodlands, and scrublands.
What do pangolins eat?
Pangolins primarily eat ants and termites, using their long, sticky tongues to collect their prey.
Are echidnas social animals?
Echidnas are generally solitary, coming together only to mate.
What challenges do pangolins face in the wild?
Besides being heavily trafficked, pangolins also face challenges from habitat loss and the impact of climate change on their food sources.
What is an echidna?
An echidna is a spiny, egg-laying mammal native to Australia and New Guinea, known for its unique reproductive method and diet of ants and termites.
How do pangolins protect themselves from predators?
Pangolins protect themselves by curling into a tight ball, making it difficult for predators to penetrate their scale armor.
How long is the tongue of an echidna?
An echidna's tongue can be up to 20 cm long, aiding in capturing prey.
Do echidnas have any natural predators?
Natural predators of echidnas include birds of prey, foxes, and feral cats, although their spines offer significant protection.
What's unique about echidna reproduction?
Echidnas lay eggs, which is unusual for mammals, and hatch them in a pouch on their belly.
How can we help protect pangolins?
Protecting pangolins involves supporting conservation efforts, reducing demand for illegal wildlife products, and preserving their natural habitats.
Are pangolins good climbers?
Some pangolin species are adept climbers, using their strong claws to scale trees and escape predators or find food.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
