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Platypuses
One of Australia's most unique and unusual native animals, the platypus is an egg-laying mammal which lives on land and hunts for food in the freshwater creeks and rivers of eastern Australia. Once incorrectly thought to be the most primitive mammal, it is now regarded as a superb example of adaptation. Questions and answers about platypuses can be found here.
996 Questions
Yes. Platypuses live in burrows which they dig at the side of riverbanks, creek banks or edges of lakes and ponds. They are usually dug under an overhang of the bank, or where the entrance can be concealed by logs or vegetation.
During breeding deason, the female platypus also digs an extra chamber at the end of her burrow to incubate her eggs. Platypuses are one of just two types of egg-laying mammals.
The Platypus is one of only a few species in the order monotrema, or egg-laying mammals. They are separate from placental mammals and marsupials.
There is no scientific definition of the term "breed" but it is generally used to refer to a group of animals with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals of the same species. The platypus has only one species (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and is the single remaining representative of its taxonomical family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species have been found in the fossil record. Since a breed is a subdivision within a species and the platypus is its own species, the term "breed" does not apply to the platypus. For that matter, since breeds are usually defined in terms of domesticated animals and the platypus is not domesticated, there is yet another reason to assert that applying the term "breed" to the platypus is incorrect. There are no breeds within the platypus species.
The plural of platypus is platypuses.
It is pronounced plat - i - puss - es.
Where does the platypus's poison come from?
Platypuses do not have poison; they have venom.
The venom can paralyse a victim just by its severity. People who have been "spurred" by a platypus report that the pain is strong enough to cause vomiting that may last for days, weeks or sometimes even months. The pain cannot be relieved by morphine and other standard pain-killing drugs. It seems the only way it can be relieved is through anaesthesia of the main nerve from the spur site.
Are secret agent platypuses real?
No. There are no secret agents among platypuses, nor among any other type of native Australian animal.
Platypuses do not live in dens, but rather in burrows. A platypus's burrow extends up to 30 metres, or 100 feet, into a riverbank. The burrow is only large enough for the platypus - and snakes - to crawl into. Females have a chamber at the end of the burrow for nesting, but this is just large enough for the female to curl around her eggs.
Is the right foot of the platypus poison?
Platypuses do not have any "poisonous" parts, but adult males have venomous spurs on their ankles. These spurs are attached to a venom gland in either thigh of the platypus.
The female platypus digs a long nesting tunnel How many eggs does she lay?
The platypus lays between one and three eggs.
Why does a platypus have to be picked up by its tail?
The platypus should not be picked up by its tail. In fact, it should not be picked up at all.
How does the platypus escape or hide?
The platypus is uniquely adapted to live in a semi-aquatic environment. It has:
- Webbed feet with a retracting webbed membrane which can expose the claws, enabling the platypus to effectively dig burrows. Its claws are used for digging burrows into riverbanks for shelter, and the webbing membrane retracts for that purpose, but spreads between its toes when it needs to swim - which it needs to do to get its food.
- The platypus can remain underwater for between one and five minutes. Its bill has sensitive electroreceptors which pick up tiny nerve and electrical impulses generated by crustaceans and other animals that inhabit the bottom of the creek or river. The platypus then uses its bill to shovel away the dirt, and find the food. It does not have teeth, but hard bony plates which it uses to grind the food.
- The platypus lays eggs (as does the echidna), unlike other mammals. However, it secretes mothers' milk through glands, rather than teats, on which the young feed after hatching.
- The platypus is a semi-aquatic animal, with thick, waterproof fur.
- It has a flat, beaver-like tail which acts as a rudder
- 2 eye lids for protection
- Males have venomous spurs on their hind legs to harm or kill predators
- The liver gets rid of water but stores fat
- During mating season, the female platypus digs a separate chamber at the end of her burrow. The eggs are laid here, and once hatched, the mother "closes off" the chamber with a wall of leaves when she leaves, to protect the young. The wall of leaves is also designed in such a way that it helps remove excess water from the platypus when she returns, thus keeping the chamber as dry as possible.
Is a platypus crossed by a rat and a duck?
No. The platypus is not produced by crossing any animals. They were in Australia long before white man came and started degrading the environment and nature.
Platypuses are monotremes - egg-laying mammals - and not at all related to rats (placental mammals) or ducks (birds).
What do platypus spurs look like?
The photograph at the related link below shows a male platypus's spur on its hind foot.
Is an ornithorhynchus a mammal?
Yes. Ornithorhynchus anatinus is the scientific name for the platypus, which is a mammal, and a monotreme.
Why do platypuses have a streamlined body?
Platypuses catch their food in the water. They may make hundreds of dives in a single day in order to find small water animals such as aquatic insect larvae, fresh water shrimp, annelid worms, yabbies and crayfish. It needs a streamlined body in order to swim and dive effectively.
Platypuses are not dinosaurs; nor are they related to dinosaurs.
What is a group of duck billed platipi called?
There is no such creature as platipi, in either singular or plural form.
A group of platypuses does not have any specific name - they are just platypuses.
Why did people hunt platypus fur?
The platypus was hunted for its fur because the fur is velvety and completely unique.
While man used to hunt the platypus for its fur, he may not any longer. Platypuses are protected by law, and it is illegal to hunt them or capture them. Due to hunting, their numbers had dropped to alarmingly low levels by the early 20th century, but bringing in laws to protect them certainly saved the platypus.
When do platypuses reach maturity?
'Maturity' is considered to be reproductive age. Platypuses reach reproductive age at around two years old. This is the case for both males and females.
