Special Sub-Topic: The Mysterious Platypus Click Here To Play: The Mysterious Platypus

The platypus is a mammal, though it lacks a trait common to the vast majority of other mammals. Which mammalian trait does the platypus lack?

It doesn't bear live young.. A mother platypus typically lays two eggs. The eggs cling to the mother's fur on her belly. Though the mother produces milk, she doesn't suckle her babies. Instead, the milk oozes out of the glands onto the mother's fur. The babies then lick it off.

Is the beak of a platypus hard, like a duck's beak?

n. The beak of a platypus is pliable cartilage.

What unusual defense does a male platypus have?

It has poison spurs.. The male platypus has poison spurs on its hind feet. The venom can make a person ill and is strong enough to kill a dog.

What odd thing does a platypus do with its tail?

All of these. (It uses it to store fat., It uses it as a rudder when swimming., It uses it to move soil when burrowing.). The main purpose of the tail is to store fat for winter or for egg-laying, but it also uses it for other purposes. A healthy platypus will have a plump tail.

What common animal is closest to the platypus in size?

A house cat.. A male platypus is about 50 - 60 centimeters (20 - 24 inches) long and weighs about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds). A female platypus is about 40 - 50 centimeters (16-20 inches) long and weighs about .9 kg (2 pounds).

What does a platypus do with its bill?

Both of these.. The bill of the platypus has an electro-receptor system that can detect the electric impulses of other creatures' muscles. The bill also has nostrils on the top that allow the platypus to breathe while the bulk of its body is under water.

What does the name "platypus" mean?

Broad foot.. Platypus is from the Greek "platys" meaning broad and "pous" meaning foot, referring to the animal's webbed foot.

What is remarkable about the fur of a platypus?

It is more dense than most other animals' fur.. A platypus has about 800 hairs per square millimeter, which is more hairs per square millimeter than the river otter or polar bear.

You encounter a two-year-old platypus. Where is he in his lifespan?

He's just reached sexual maturity.. A platypus lifespan is about 10-15 years, though their life expectancy in the wild is closer to six years.

Can a platypus make vocalizations?

y. The GenevaSchools web site describes a platypus's vocalizations as similar to a puppy's growl.

Which of these traits does the platypus have in common with birds?

The platypus has two ovaries but only one functions.. Specifically, the left ovary is the functioning ovary.

Which of the following abilities does the platypus have that helps it live its aquatic lifestyle?

Both.. The platypus has more hemoglobin in its red blood cells than any other mammal, which enables it to store a lot of oxygen. Its heart rate can also vary from 140 - 230 beats a minute to almost 0 beats per minute.

Can a platypus withstand cold temperatures?

y. Its fur is thick, it stores fat in its tail, it can speed or slow its heart rate -- a platypus is well-suited to cold-weather living.

What is the typical social life of a platypus?

A platypus lives a solitary life.. Each platypus has its own home range for feeding.

Does a platypus have teeth?

Only the babies.. The baby has molars. An adult platypus has grinding pads in its bill.

What is a platypus diet?

It's a carnivore.. A platypus eats a variety of small creatures, such as small fish, insects and larvae.

Does a mother platypus have a pouch?

n. The mother platypus curls her body and tail around her eggs to keep them safe and warm.

What kind of daily schedule does a platypus follow?

It's seen mostly at dawn and dusk, but individual routines vary.. The web sites I'd checked said the platypus was nocturnal, but after I got several correction e-mails from folks who'd seen the critters during broad daylight, I did more research on this.

Does the platypus breed well in captivity?

n. A 1999 press release indicated that a baby platypus hatched in Melbourne was the first baby platypus born in captivity since 1944. A zookeeper referred to the hatching as the "zoological equivalent of reaching the peak of Mount Everest".

Where can you go to see a platypus?

In Australian zoos, or in the wild in Australia.. The Australian government forbids the removal of platypuses (Platypus? Platypi? There's no consensus on the plural.) from the country. My online search hasn't found a single zoo outside Australia with a resident platypus.