Monster cycling over tail of stricken American animal (7)

I believe the answer is:

echidna

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'monster' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I don't understand the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for echidna that I've seen before include "Spiny creature" , "Australian creature" , "Spiny egg-laying Australian mammal" , "One preying on the workers" , "Creature with spines" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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