Strangeness Upon Strange: Studies of the concentration of minerals in the blood of the platypus have shown that it has an incredibly high concentration of vanabins and other vanadium-based compounds. Much of this is speculation, and there is still much to be learned about electroreception in the platypus and its fellow monotreme, the echidna. The electroreceptors could also be used to distinguish animate and inanimate objects in this situation (in which the mechanoreceptors would be continuously stimulated). How They Feed: The platypus feeds by digging in the bottom of streams with the bill. Its electroception is the most sensitive of any mammal. Information obtained from case histories and anecdotal evidence indicates that the pain develops into a long-lasting hyperalgesia that persists for days or even months.Įlectro-what?!? The platypus is one of the few mammals known to have a sense of electroception: it locates its prey in part by detecting their body electricity. Oedema rapidly develops around the wound and gradually spreads throughout the affected limb. In humans the most remarkable symptom is immediate and extreme pain. Females, like echidnas, have rudimentary spur buds which do not develop and do not have functional crural glands. Venom is produced in the crural glands of the male during the breeding season and is aggressively inflicted through a calcaneus spur on each hind limb. The venom can be lethal to dingos, dogs and smaller domestic animals. The pain is so intense that the victim is rendered almost helpless. The venom is not normally lethal to humans but produces excruciating pain and swelling that lasts for several months. Watch Out for the Spur! The male platypus has venomous ankle spurs, used in vicious territorial battles and fights over mates. The platypus maneuvers with its flat tail and hind feet, which allows it to dive quickly and stabilize itself. It also has a reptile-like gait, with legs that are on the sides of the body, rather than underneath. Strange Strut: The platypus has extra bones in the shoulder girdle, including an interclavicle, which is not found in other mammals. There is substantial variation in average size from one region to another, though oddly this pattern does not seem to follow any particular climatic rule. Males are around a third larger than females. Weights and Measures: Weight varies considerably between less than 1 kg (2.2 lb) to more than 2 kg (4.5 lb) its body length ranges from 30–40 cm (11-16 inches), and its tail length from 10–15 cm (4-6 inches) for males and 8–13 cm (3-5 inches) for females. The platypus snout is a sensory organ with an opening on the underside. The snout does not open like a bird's beak, with both the upper and lower parts of the beak separating to reveal its mouth. It has webbed feet and a large, rubbery snout that are more reminiscent of a duck's features than those of any known mammal. Like the Tasmanian Devil, the platypus uses the tail for fat storage. Just the Facts: The body and the broad, flat tail of the platypus are covered with brown fur that traps a layer of insulating air to keep the animal warm. The extent to which this is a characteristic of monotremes, as opposed to an adaptation on the part of the small number of surviving species to harsh environmental conditions, is uncertain. Not So Warm-blooded: The platypus's body temperature averages 32 ☌ (90 ☏) rather than the 38 ☌ (100 ☏) typical of placental mammals. The uniqueness of the platypus makes it a recognizable symbol of Australia (along with the kangaroo and koala) it is featured on the reverse of the Australian 20-cent coin. The Platypus is an egg-laying, duck-billed mammal whose males have a venomous spur on the hind foot, baffled naturalists when it was first discovered.
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