To some, platypuses may be considered to be unusual because they are unique to Australia and one of only two types of mammals to lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. (The other type is the echidna.)
The platypus's appearance is also unusual - it has a flat, broad bill; a sleek and streamlined body; a short, thick tail; the male has a venomous spur, and its feet have retractable webbing. It uses its sensitive bill which is equipped with electroreceptors to find food underwater.
Marsupials are very unusual. Platypus too.
Both types of monotremes - the platypus and the echidna - are unusual, but perhaps the platypus is considered the most unusual of all. The platypus has a bill equipped with electroreceptors which it uses to find its food. It must live on land but find its food in the water. It has retractable webbing on its feet so that it can still use its sharp claws to dig.
The platypus has no unique or unusual markings. A platypus has dark brown fur over most of its body, with a grey undercoat. Its belly is gold-coloured or silky grey. Its feet are dark brown to black, and its bill is a slate grey colour.
A simile for a platypus could be "as unique as a platypus in a pond." This simile highlights the distinctive nature of the platypus as an unusual and fascinating animal that stands out in its environment. It draws a comparison between the platypus and something equally rare or extraordinary.
The platypus and echidna are unusual because they are the world's only known monotremes, which means they are egg-laying mammals. Though egg-layers, they are classified as mammals because the young suckle mothers' milk.
The scientific name of the platypus is Ornithorhynchus anatinus. The 'Ornithorhynchus' part means "bird-like snout". This is in reference to the platypus's unusual bill.
They are egg-laying mammals.
Natural yet unusual
You can use "platypus" in a simile by comparing something to the unique characteristics of a platypus. For example: "His personality was as quirky as a platypus, blending traits that seemed to belong to entirely different animals." This highlights the unusual and distinctive nature of the subject being described.
The platypus and echidna are unusual mammals because they are the world's only known monotremes, i.e. egg-laying mammals. Though egg-layers, they are classified as mammals because the young suckle mothers' milk.
The platypus has a dark brown head with two small eyes. It is unusual because its mouth is a bill. Although many believe the platypus's bill to resemble a duck's bill, it is in fact quite different. The platypus's bill is broader and flatter than a duck's bill.
The echidna, like the platypus, is unusual because it lays eggs, rather than producing live young.