what animal is knuckles

Knuckles is an echidna, a type of small mammal that comes from the family Tachyglossidae. Echidnas are one of the very few mammals that lay eggs and are native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Knuckles is presented as a bright red creature that runs on two legs, has long quill-like dreadlocks, and wears gloves with two prominent spikes on them. Unlike real echidnas that are ground-dwelling animals, Knuckles can trap air beneath his dreadlocks to glide indefinitely.