PLATYPUS - THE EGG-LAYING MAMMAL

PLATYPUS

Genus: Ornithorhynchus
Species: Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia

Platypus is a unique Australian species. It is considered as a separate order of mammals, called monotremes, which are distinguished from all other mammals as they lay eggs.

HABITAT:

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

 

Platypus generally lives in rivers and streams with gentle flow of water and lots of aquatic vegetation. They are mostly found in the freshwaters of Northern Queensland, and even in the cold, high altitudes of Tasmania and the Great Dividing Range. They often burrow under the roots of vegetation near the river banks.

 

 

 

STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS:

STRUCTURAL ADAPTATIONS OF A PLATYPUS

DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS

Platypus is well-adapted to the aquatic environment. It has a streamlined body and a flat tail, which are covered with thick water-proof fur. While moving in water, platypus uses its front webbed-limbs and the hind limbs, along with its tail are used to control speed and to change directions while swimming.

Another important adaptation of the platypus is its bill. The bill, not only helps the platypus to find and digest

food, but it works as an electroreceptor, which detects the minute movements made by its prey, without using the eyes and ears.

SPUR NEAR THE ANKLE

There is a spur near the ankle of a platypus, both in males and females. The females shed off their spur at an
early age, while the males produce venom in their spurs.There is a kidney-shaped gland, called crural gland, present in the upper thigh, which produces this venom. This spur protects the platypus from its predators, otherwise it lies flat against the limb.

  

BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS:

 

A platypus is mostly active at night and sleeps in the day. This has protected the animal from its predators, as most of them are day-hunters. Platypus is not comfortable in walking on dry lands because of its awkward webbed feet. While swimming, only a little part of its head, back and tail are visible above the water surface as three small humps.

EGGS OF A PLATYPUS

A platypus is generally shy in nature. While mating in winter, the males initiate courtship, with some aquatic

activities like rolling sidewise in water, touching and often the males grasping the females' tail with their bill. The process even lasts for more than half-an-hour. After mating, they dig burrows near the soft river banks  in sake of protection of the pregnant mother and her eggs. Normally a female platypus lays 1-3 eggs, which are quite similar to the eggs of reptiles. Then she incubates the eggs with her belly and tail.

BABY PLATYPUS

When the youngs hatch , the mother produces milk and feeds its babies with its two milk patches present in her abdomen covered with fur. The mother spends most of the time in feeding and growing her babies. Towards the end of summer, the babies crawl out of the burrow as an independent animal.

PHYSIOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS:

 

The males are larger than the females with a size  ranging between 40 and 63 cm. while in females, it is between 37 and 55 cm. The weight is about 800 gm. to 3 kgs. in males while the females weigh between 600 to 1700 gm. A platypus has a lower basal temperature than other mammal;s which is around 32 degree Celsius. In the cold winter times, it reduces the flow of blood in the bare parts of its body. By doing this, it protects its vital organs from being chilled. However, a platypus remains active throughout the year.