Original: Memoirs of the Australian Museum 6: i–xii, 1–122 The name Tachyglossus means "quick tongue", in reference to the speed with which the Echidna uses its tongue to catch ants and termites, and aculeatus means "spiny" or "equipped with spines".
Simplified: The name Tachyglossus means "quick tongue". The word aculeatus means "spiny" or "equipped with spines".