Long-beaked echidna

Zaglossus, known as the long-beaked echidnas make up one of the two extant genera of echidnas: there are three extant species, all living in New Guinea. They are medium-sized, solitary mammals covered with coarse hair and spines made of keratin. They have short, strong limbs with large claws, and are powerful diggers. What separates the 3 long-beaked echidna species is mainly location in New Guinea. Other signifying characteristics include skull morphology, color and density of fur and spines, body size, and number of toes and claws. They are a highly primitive species, with many characteristics derived from reptiles.

The extant species are:

• Western long-beaked echidna (Z. bruijni), of the highland forests;
• Attenborough's long-beaked echidna (Z. attenboroughi), discovered by Western science in 1961 (described in 1998) and preferring a still higher habitat;
• Eastern long-beaked echidna (Z. bartoni), of which four distinct subspecies have been identified.

The Eastern species is listed as vulnerable, while the Attenborough's and western long-beaked echidna species are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

A number of extinct species were known in the genus, but they are currently treated as members of their own genera, such as Murrayglossus and Megalibgwilia.