What kind of animal is a platypus?
mammal
The platypus is a remarkable mammal found only in Australia. Sometimes known as a duck-billed platypus, this curious mammal combines the characteristics of many different species in one. The platypus is a duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed, egg-laying aquatic creature native to Australia.
What did the platypus evolve from?
The analysis confirms that the platypus was the earliest offshoot of the mammalian family tree, Graves noted. The group of animals called monotremes—which includes the platypus and the closely related echidna—is thought to have split from other mammals at least 166 million years ago.
Where do platypuses live?
eastern Australia
Habitat and distribution Platypus are found in eastern Australia from the steamy tropics of far north Queensland to the freezing snows of Tasmania. In Queensland, platypus live in rivers east of the Great Dividing Range, and are also found in some western-flowing streams.
How many species of platypus are there?
Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes….Platypus.
| Platypus Temporal range: Miocene to Recent | |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Ornithorhynchus Blumenbach, 1800 |
| Species: | O. anatinus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Shaw, 1799) |
What is so special about a platypus?
Platypus reproduction is nearly unique. It is one of only two mammals (the echidna is the other) that lay eggs. Females seal themselves inside one of the burrow’s chambers to lay their eggs. A mother typically produces one or two eggs and keeps them warm by holding them between her body and her tail.
What is the closest relative to a platypus?
the echidna
The platypus and its closest relative, the echidna, belong to an order of mammals called the monotremes (Monotremata). They are the only representatives of this group left, surviving among the marsupials of Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea.
Are platypus related to dinosaurs?
Dr Long says the research suggests the platypus lived alongside the dinosaurs. “Several kinds of mammals were living in the age of the dinosaurs, but none of those families, apart from the platypus family, is still alive today,” he said.
Can I have a platypus as a pet?
Keeping a platypus as a pet is almost entirely out of the question. It’s threatened in the wild and it’s probably not even legal. Its care and diet are not easy to replicate for the hobbyist. As if you need any other reason, there’s one that might hit closer to home.
Are platypus friendly to humans?
Platypuses do not attack humans. They are not equipped with teeth that can help them bite, and the only form of defense they have is the pointed spur in their heel. However, if platypuses are handled in the wild, they can prick you with their spur and inject venom.
How many platypus are left in the world 2021?
300,000 Platypuses
How many Platypuses are left in the world? There are 300,000 Platypuses left in the world.
Can a platypus be a pet?
Keeping a platypus as a pet is almost entirely out of the question. It’s threatened in the wild and it’s probably not even legal. Its care and diet are not easy to replicate for the hobbyist.