What are the differences between a platypus and a kangaroo?

Answer 1

Platypuses and echidnas have several things in common, and several differences. * They are both monotremes, egg-laying mammals. * Both can swim, but a major difference is that the platypus is semi-aquatic, while the echidna lives on land. * Both animals can be found from trpoical northern regions of Australia down to sub-alpine regions of Tasmania. A difference is that the echidna can also survive quite well in semi-arid areas. * Both have strong claws for digging burrows for shelter, but the platypus also has a retractable membrane between its claws, which helps it to swim. * The platypus does not have a pouch, but the echidna develops a temporary pouch (more like a fold of skin) in which it lays and incubates its eggs. The platypus lays and incubates its eggs in a chamber dug in the side of the riverbank. * An echidna usually lays justa single egg, whilst a platypus may lay one to three eggs. * A major difference is their external appearance. The echidna has quills whilst the platypus has dense, waterproof fur. * Both the male platypus and the male echidna have a spur on their hind ankle, but the platypus's is poisonous whilst the echidna's serves no known function. * Neither echidnas nor platypuses have teeth. The platypus grinds its food between bony plates in its bill, whilst the echidna uses its long, sticky tongue to catch and eat termites and ants.

Answer 2

The difference between the Platypus's and the Echidnas habitat is that the Platypus has much more specialised needs. It must be able to dig burrows in riverbanks and creekbanks where it has ready access to freshwater, its hunting and feeding grounds.

The echidna can live anywhere where there are termites and ants. The echidna can be found in bushland, deserts and high mountains - literally anywhere in Australia.

Answer 3

The are many differences between a platypus and a hedgehog.

Although both animals are mammals, platypuses are monotremes, meaning they are egg-laying mammals, while hedgehogs are placental mammals, or eutherians, giving birth to live young.

Platypuses have electroreceptors in their bill, which they use to find their food underwater. Hedgehogs have no such facility, and of course they look for their food on land.

Platypuses are found only in Australia, while there are no hedgehogs in Australia at all.

Hedgehogs' bodies are covered in sharp spikes, except for the soft fur on their abdomen, but platypuses have dense, velvety fur all over their body, including their flat tail.

Answer 4

The platypus has a broad, flat bill for its snout. It uses its bill to find food. It closes its eyes when underwater, and uses its bill to detect movements. Equipped with electroreceptors, the sensitive bill can sense electrical impulses, even the tiniest of movements made by underwater crustaceans. The bill is also used to shovel up the soil on the bottom of the river or creek in order to find the food. Once found, the platypus uses grinding plates in its bill, rather than teeth, to crush the food before eating it.

The echidna's snout is long and sharp, and this long snout makes it easy for the echidna to burrow for ants, termites and worms. Unlike the platypus, the echidna has a long tongue with sticky saliva which it sticks out of its snout at high speed, and with which it eats termites and ants.

Answer 5

There are numerous differences.

• Platypuses are monotremes (egg-laying mammals) but kangaroos are marsupials, meaning they give birth to live young which are raised in a pouch.
• Platypuses feed on small invertebrates, crustaceans and insect larvae; most kangaroos are herbivores while the smallest species are omnivores.
• Platypuses dig burrows for shelter, but most kangaroos have no set shelter.
• Kangaroos have large, strong hind legs and small forepaws, and they move by hopping on their hind legs; platypuses walk close to the ground on four legs, or they swim, extending the retractable webbing between their toes.
• Female kangaroos have a pouch in the front of their abdomen, with the opening at the top; platypuses have no pouch.
• There are over 60 species of kangaroos, and just one species of platypus.
• The male platypus has a venomous spur on each of its ankles. No species of kangaroo has any body part which is venomous.
• The platypus has a bill with sensitive electroreceptors which can detect even the smallest electrical impulses emitted by the tiny crustaceans and other underwater invertebrates on which it feeds.

Answer 6

The echidna's snout is long and pointed, and used to help the echidna catch termites and ants by pushing it into termite mounds and ant nests. The platypus's bill is broad and flat, equipped with electroreceptors to detect the smallest of electrical impulses emitted by tiny crustaceans and larvae upon which it feeds. It uses its broad bill to shovel away the mud at the bottom of creek beds and riverbeds in order to get to these creatures.

Answer 7

The platypus and the echidna are both monotremes, or egg-laying mammals of Australia (the echidna is also found in New Guinea). They are unique for being the only known mammals that do not give birth to live young.

Answer 8

A kangaroo has a pouch and a platypus does not.