Size & Appearance

The platypus is one of the most unusual creatures in the animal kingdom.
Platypuses
(which is the correct plural form, not "platypi") have a paddle-shaped tail like a
beaver; a sleek, furry body like an otter; and a flat bill and webbed feet like a duck. In
fact, the first time a platypus was brought from Australia to Britain, people couldn't
believe that it was a real animal. They thought that a trickster had sewn two animals
together, according to the BBC.
Platypuses are among the few venomous mammals. Males have a spur on the back
of their hind feet that is connected to a venom-secreting gland. More venom is
secreted during mating season, leading researchers to think that the spurs and
venom help males compete for mates, according to the Australian Platypus
Conservatory. The venom is not life threatening to humans, but it can cause severe
swelling and "excruciating pain."
Size & appearance
A typical platypus is 15 inches (38 centimeters) from its head to the end of its rump.
Its tail adds an additional 5 inches (13 cm) to the animal's length. An individual
weighs about 3 lbs. (1.4 kg), though platypuses that live in colder climates are bigger
than those living in warmer areas, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory.
Scientists have found fossils that suggest that ancient platypuses where twice as large
as the modern variety, at 3.3 feet (1 meter) long.
Platypuses have dense, thick fur that helps them stay warm underwater. Most of the
fur is dark brown, except for a patch of lighter fur near each eye, and lighter-colored
fur on the underside.
Their front feet have extra skin that acts like a paddle when the animals are
swimming. When platypuses are on land, their webbing retracts, making the claws
more pronounced. The animals walk awkwardly on their knuckles to protect the
webbing.
The bill of a platypus, sometimes called a duck-billed platypus, has a smooth texture
that feels like suede. It is also flexible and rubbery. The skin of the bill holds
thousands of receptors that help the platypus navigate underwater and detect
movement of potential food, such as shrimp.
All of the monotremes, or egg-laying mammals such as the platypus and echidna, lost their stomachs during the course of
evolution. (Image credit: worldswildlifewonders Shutterstock)
Habitat
Platypuses live in only one, small area of the world. These creatures make their
homes in the freshwater areas that flow throughout the island of Tasmania and the
eastern and southeastern coast of Australia. While they are in the water a lot, they
will also waddle onto the riverbanks to dig burrows with their claws. These burrows
are tunnels that have rooms or chambers. Platypuses also live under rock ledges,
roots or debris.
Though they exist on only one side of one continent, platypuses weather many
climate extremes. They have been found in plateaus, lowlands, tropical rainforests,
and the cold mountains of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. Their waterproof, thick
fur keeps platypuses warm in chilly temperatures, and their big tails store extra fat for
energy.
Platypuses usually spend their time hunting for food, and a hunt can last 10 to 12
hours. They are most active during nighttime and dusk, because they are nocturnal.
This means they sleep during the day. When not hunting, they stay in their burrows.
Diet
Platypuses are carnivorous, which means they eat meat but not plants. They hunt for
their food in the water where they live. As they swim, they try to detect food along the
muddy bottom of the river, stream, pond or lake using their sensitive bills. When
platypuses find something interesting, like shellfish, insects, larvae or worms, they
scoop it up in their bills, store it in their cheek pouches and swim to the surface.
Since they only have grinding plates and no teeth, platypuses use any gravel or dirt
they scooped up while on the bottom of the waterbed to mash their food into
digestible pieces.
Baby platypuses
Most mammals give birth to live young. Platypuses, however, lay eggs. They are a
species of primitive mammals called monotremes. Echidnas, or spiny anteaters, are
the only other mammals that lay eggs.
When the female platypus is ready to have her young, she will burrow down inside
the ground on the riverbank and seal herself into one of her tunnel rooms. Then, she
will lay one or two eggs and place them between her rump and her tail to keep them
warm. After about 10 days, the eggs hatch and the little, bean-sized babies will nurse
for three to four months. Around the time of weaning, baby platypuses can swim on
their own.
Classification/taxonomy
The taxonomy of the platypus, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information
System (ITIS), is:
 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Mammalia
 Order: Monotremata
 Family: Ornithorhynchidae
 Genus and species: Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Conservation status
Platypuses are not endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
lists the animals as a "Least Concern," though the organization admits it has no idea
how large or small the platypus population may be. This is due, primarily, to lack of
worldwide research and data on the species.
Other facts
Platypuses swim with their front feet and steer with their tails and back feet. They
have waterproof fur, skin that covers their ears and eyes, and noses that seal shut to
protect the animals while they are underwater. Though platypuses are made for the
water, they can't stay completely submerged. They can only stay underwater for 30
to 140 seconds.
Platypus' skeletons resemble those of reptiles. They both have pectoral girdles and
splayed legs.
These short creatures are much better at moving through water than across land.
They use 30 percent more energy walking across land than swimming through the
water, according to the Australian Museum of History.

Size & Appearance

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Size & Appearance

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The platypus is one of the most unusual creatures in the animal kingdom.

You might also like