Dancing with the Devil
Reproduction
The Moloch horridus reproduces sexually, which means there must be a
male and female that mate together. Thorny Devils have two annual
active and inactive periods. They experience their
hottest months in
January and February and their coldest in June and July. The Moloch
horridus are very inactive during these four months and are particularly
active during the March through
May and August through December (Pianka
and Pianka, 1970). During the autumn months, March through May, they
will travel long distances to increase their chances of finding a mate
and will lay their eggs in the spring months, September through
November, into a burrow to incubate during the hot months (Pianka,
2009).
When males have found a female they will bob their heads. If
she remains still the male will then try to mount her. But if the female
is unwilling she will roll sideways to throw off the male and will
quickly move away (Pianka, 2009). The
females will lay their eggs once a
year from September through December. A clutch of eggs
can range from three to ten eggs with an incubation time of about 118
days (Pianka, 2009). The only condition that needs to be met laying their eggs is a burrow for
incubation. The mother will create a burrow with an air chamber for the
eggs and will bury the chamber and smooth the sand around it to
eliminate any trace of the burrow. Newborn Thorny
Devils will eat their own eggshell as a source of calcium and other
nutrients to help early growth (Pianka, et al., 1996).
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Moloch horridus