Oviscrotalus lanatus
Rattlesheep
Field Report Summary
Physical Description
About the size of a domestic sheep, covered in thick, cream-colored wool. Patches of diamond-shaped scales run down its spine, sides, and legs, transitioning seamlessly with the wool. Its tail ends in a bony rattle that it shakes when threatened. Has ovine head with elongated snout and large, forward-facing eyes. Retains typical sheep hooves but with a sharper, slightly curved point. Tongue forked and red.
Habitat
Arid grasslands and scrublands
Dietary Behavior
Graze on desert scrub and cacti, showing a surprising resistance to spines.
Evolutionary Origin
Hypothesized to have arisen through a bizarre symbiosis between a rattlesnake and a sheep, leading to the incorporation of the snake's rattle into the sheep's tail.
Behavioral Notes
Uses its rattle to warn off predators and also to attract mates.