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 '' .