What Animal is Knuckles? A Comprehensive Guide

Knuckles the Echidna is one of the most popular and beloved characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

He is a red-furred, spiky-fisted, and strong-willed echidna who guards the Master Emerald on Angel Island.

But what exactly is an echidna, and how does Knuckles compare to his real-life counterparts?

In this article, we will explore the fascinating facts about Knuckles’ animal origin and how he differs from other echidnas in terms of appearance, abilities, and personality.

What is an echidna?

An echidna is a mammal that belongs to the order Monotremata, which means “one hole” in Greek.

This refers to the fact that echidnas, like platypuses, have a single opening for both reproduction and excretion.

Echidnas are also one of the few mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.

Echidnas are native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea, where they live in various habitats such as forests, grasslands, deserts, and mountains. 

What are the types of echidnas?

There are four living species of echidnas:

The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

The Sir David’s long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi)

The eastern long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bartoni)

The western long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijni)

The short-beaked echidna is the most widespread and common species, while the other three are endangered and restricted to New Guinea.

What do echidnas look like?

Echidnas have a distinctive appearance that combines the features of different animals.

They have a long, slender snout that can sense electrical signals from their prey, such as insects and worms.

Both have a sticky tongue that can extend up to 18 cm (7 inches) to catch their food.

Echidnas have a stocky body covered with coarse hair and sharp spines for protection.

Their legs are short but strong, with claws that aid in digging and climbing.

In addition, they have a pouch on their belly where they incubate their eggs and nurse their young, which they affectionately call puggles.

Moreover, their prehensile tail is quite impressive, as it can curl around branches or objects.

They have small ears and eyes, and they do not have any teeth.

How big are echidnas?

Echidnas vary in size depending on their species.

The short-beaked echidna is the smallest, measuring 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches) in length and weighing 2 to 7 kg (4 to 15 pounds).

The long-beaked echidnas are larger, measuring 45 to 100 cm (18 to 39 inches) in length and weighing 5 to 16 kg (11 to 35 pounds).

How do echidnas behave?

Echidnas are solitary and nocturnal animals that spend most of their time foraging for food or resting in burrows or hollow logs.

They are not very social, except during the breeding season when they form temporary groups called “trains” that consist of one female followed by several males.

Male echidnas compete for the female’s attention through nudging or biting.

The female selects one male to mate with and lays a single egg after 22 days.

The egg takes 10 days to hatch, and the puggle remains in the pouch for around two months before being weaned.

In captivity, echidnas can live up to 50 years.

How do Knuckles differ from real echidnas?

Knuckles the anthropomorphic echidna differs from real echidnas in appearance, abilities, and personality.

He has a humanoid body shape, red fur, and longer spines.

Knuckles can run at super speeds, glide using his dreadlocks, climb walls, and sense emeralds.

While brave and loyal, he can be stubborn and easily tricked.

Knuckles is protective of the Master Emerald and Angel Island, occasionally jealous of Sonic, and has a close bond with Rouge the Bat.

Conclusion

Knuckles the Echidna is a fascinating character who combines elements of real echidnas and fictional traits.

He is an echidna by species, but he is also a unique individual who has his own appearance, abilities, and personality.

Knuckles the Echidna is a loyal guardian of the Master Emerald and a valuable ally of Sonic and his friends.

He is one of the most beloved characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and a symbol of Sega’s creativity and innovation.

Tbale of Facts about Knuckles the Echidna and Real Echidnas

AspectKnuckles the EchidnaReal Echidnas
AppearanceRed-furred, spiky-fisted, humanoid body shapeLong, slender snout, stocky body, covered in coarse hair and spines, small ears and eyes, no teeth
AbilitiesCan run at super speeds, glide using dreadlocks, climb walls, sense emeraldsSense electrical signals from prey, have a sticky tongue for catching food, prehensile tail for curling around objects
PersonalityBrave, loyal, protective of the Master Emerald and Angel Island, occasionally jealous of Sonic, close bond with Rouge the Bat, can be stubborn and easily trickedSolitary, nocturnal, not very social, form temporary breeding groups (“trains”), males compete for female attention, female lays a single egg, puggle stays in the pouch for about two months
ReproductionNot mentionedLay eggs instead of giving birth to live young
HabitatAngel IslandAustralia, Tasmania, New Guinea, various habitats like forests, grasslands, deserts, and mountains
SpeciesAnthropomorphic echidnaShort-beaked echidna, Sir David’s long-beaked echidna, eastern long-beaked echidna, western long-beaked echidna
SizeNot mentionedShort-beaked echidna: 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches), 2 to 7 kg (4 to 15 pounds) Long-beaked echidnas: 45 to 100 cm (18 to 39 inches), 5 to 16 kg (11 to 35 pounds)
LifespanNot mentionedIn captivity, up to 50 years

ncG1vNJzZmibnq6urMHNnaBnm5%2BifLi0wK1kmqaZoq6tecisZKSmpZi4rbHSZphmm5%2BivbOxx56lrKGmmnqowcidnGg%3D