ContributorsĪnna Bess Sorin (author), Biology Dept., University of Memphis, Phil Myers (author), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia. Orders and Families of Recent Mammals of the World. Young are nursed for about five months.įeldhamer, G. Animals living in the colder/southern parts of the. There is no pouch, and the mother curls her body around the eggs to keep them warm. In this section on platypus biology you can find information about: Platypus (Photo- John Bundock) 25. When a female is about to lay her eggs, she builds a deep burrow (which may be as much as 20-30 m in length), plugs the entrance, and incubates the eggs for 10-12 days. They have well-developed claws, but these are not as large as the claws of echidnas. The platypus has a paddle-shaped tail, like a beaver a sleek, furry body, like an otter and a. The spurs are grooved and connected to venom glands these weapons may be used in combat between males for mates.Ī platypus feeds primarily on aquatic crustaceans, insect larvae, and some plants.ĭuck-billed platypuses live in burrows along the banks of water, including lakes, rivers, and even mountain streams. The platypus ( Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the most unusual creatures in the animal kingdom. Male platypuses have a sharp spur attached to each ankle. The anterior part of these plates is ridged and is used to chop food the posterior part is expanded and flat and used for crushing. Food is masticated between horny plates located on each jaw. Young platypuses have teeth, but these are lost in adults. Horny (keratinous) plates located over the gums. While young platypuses have molars, adults are toothless. Ornithorhynchus Scientific Name Ornithorhynchus anatinus Read our Complete Guide to Classification of Animals. The external opening for the ear is tubular and the ears lack pinnae.īill of a platypus is soft, flexible, and leathery, unlike a bird's beak. It has webbed feet dense, woolly, water-repellant fur and furrows along the sides of its head to protect the eyes and ears when it swims under water. These sense organs are located in its "bill." This species is highly aquatic. Often considered the most unique and bizarre of mammals, the duck-billed platypus uses receptors sensitive both to tactile stimulation and weak electrical fields to sense prey when digging under water. This family consists of a single genus and species, the duck-billed platypus.
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