Who is the platypus, a beast with a bird's beak. Where does the platypus live, and what kind of animal is it? Habitat and lifestyle

The platypus, which lives in Australia, can easily be called one of the most amazing animals on our planet. When the first platypus skin first came to England (this happened in 1797), at first everyone decided that some joker had sewn a duck's beak to the skin of an animal similar to a beaver. When it turned out that the skin was not a fake, scientists could not decide to which group of animals to classify this creature. The zoological name for this strange animal was given in 1799 by the English naturalist George Shaw - Ornithorhynchus (from the Greek ορνιθορυγχος, “bird’s nose”, and anatinus, “duck”), a tracing-paper from the first scientific name - “platypus”, took root in the Russian language, but in modern English the name platypus is used - “flat-footed” (from the Greek platus - “flat” and pous - “paw”).
When the first animals were brought to England, it turned out that the female platypus does not have visible mammary glands, but this animal, like birds, has a cloaca. For a quarter of a century, scientists could not decide where to classify the platypus - to mammals, birds, reptiles, or even to a separate class, until in 1824 the German biologist Johann Friedrich Meckel discovered that the platypus still has mammary glands and the female feeds her young with milk. It became clear that the platypus is a mammal. It was only proven in 1884 that the platypus lays eggs.

The platypus, together with the echidna (another Australian mammal), form the order Monotremata. The name of the order is due to the fact that the intestines and urogenital sinus flow into the cloaca (similarly in amphibians, reptiles and birds), and do not exit through separate passages.
In 2008, the platypus genome was deciphered and it turned out that the ancestors of modern platypuses separated from other mammals 166 million years ago. An extinct species of platypus (Obdurodon insignis) lived in Australia more than 5 million years ago. The modern species of platypus (Obdurodon insignis) appeared in the Pleistocene era.

Stuffed platypus and its skeleton

The body length of the platypus is up to 45 cm, the tail is up to 15 cm, and it weighs up to 2 kg. Males are about a third larger than females. The body of the platypus is squat, short-legged; the tail is flattened, similar to the tail of a beaver, but covered with hair, which noticeably thins with age. Fat reserves are deposited in the tail of the platypus. Its fur is thick, soft, usually dark brown on the back and reddish or gray on the belly. The head is round. In front, the facial section is extended into a flat beak about 65 mm long and 50 mm wide. The beak is not hard like that of birds, but soft, covered with elastic bare skin, which is stretched over two thin, long, arched bones. The oral cavity is expanded into cheek pouches, in which food is stored during feeding (various crustaceans, worms, snails, frogs, insects and small fish). Down at the base of the beak, males have a specific gland that produces a secretion with a musky odor. Young platypuses have 8 teeth, but they are fragile and quickly wear out, giving way to keratinized plates.

The platypus has five-fingered feet, adapted for both swimming and digging. The swimming membrane on the front paws protrudes in front of the toes, but can bend in such a way that the claws are exposed, turning the swimming limb into a digging limb. The membranes on the hind legs are much less developed; For swimming, the platypus does not use its hind legs, like other semi-aquatic animals, but its front legs. The hind legs act as a rudder in the water, and the tail serves as a stabilizer. The gait of the platypus on land is more reminiscent of the gait of a reptile - it places its legs on the sides of the body.

Its nasal openings open on the upper side of its beak. There are no auricles. The eyes and ear openings are located in grooves on the sides of the head. When an animal dives, the edges of these grooves, like the valves of the nostrils, close, so that under water its vision, hearing, and smell are ineffective. However, the skin of the beak is rich in nerve endings, and this provides the platypus not only with a highly developed sense of touch, but also with the ability to electrolocate. Electroreceptors in the beak can detect weak electrical fields, which arise, for example, when the muscles of crustaceans contract, which helps the platypus in searching for prey. Looking for it, the platypus continuously moves its head from side to side during underwater hunting. The platypus is the only mammal with developed electroreception.

The platypus has a remarkably low metabolism compared to other mammals; his normal body temperature is only 32 °C. However, at the same time, he is excellent at regulating body temperature. Thus, being in water at 5 °C, the platypus can maintain normal body temperature for several hours by increasing its metabolic rate by more than 3 times.

The platypus is one of the few venomous mammals (along with some shrews and gaptooths, which have toxic saliva).
Young platypuses of both sexes have the rudiments of horny spurs on their hind legs. In females, by the age of one year they fall off, but in males they continue to grow, reaching 1.2-1.5 cm in length by the time of puberty. Each spur is connected by a duct to the femoral gland, which produces a complex “cocktail” of poisons during the mating season. Males use spurs during mating fights. Platypus venom can kill dingoes or other small animals. For humans, it is generally not fatal, but it causes very severe pain, and swelling develops at the injection site, which gradually spreads to the entire limb. Painful sensations (hyperalgesia) can last for many days or even months.

The platypus is a secretive, nocturnal, semi-aquatic animal that inhabits the banks of small rivers and standing reservoirs in Eastern Australia and the island of Tasmania. The reason for the disappearance of the platypus in South Australia appears to be water pollution, to which the platypus is very sensitive. It prefers a water temperature of 25-29.9 °C; not found in brackish water.

The platypus lives along the banks of reservoirs. Its shelter is a short straight hole (up to 10 m long), with two entrances and an internal chamber. One entrance is underwater, the other is located 1.2-3.6 m above the water level, under tree roots or in thickets.

The platypus is an excellent swimmer and diver, remaining underwater for up to 5 minutes. He spends up to 10 hours a day in water, since he needs to eat up to a quarter of his own weight in food per day. The platypus is active at night and at dusk. It feeds on small aquatic animals, stirring up the silt at the bottom of the reservoir with its beak and catching living creatures that have risen. They observed how the platypus, while feeding, turns over stones with its claws or with the help of its beak. It eats crustaceans, worms, insect larvae; less often tadpoles, mollusks and aquatic vegetation. Having collected food in its cheek pouches, the platypus rises to the surface and, lying on the water, grinds it with its horny jaws.

In nature, the platypus' enemies are few in number. Occasionally, he is attacked by a monitor lizard, a python, and a leopard seal swimming into the rivers.

Every year, platypuses enter a 5-10-day winter hibernation, after which they enter the breeding season. It lasts from August to November. Mating occurs in water. Platypuses do not form permanent pairs.
After mating, the female digs a brood hole. Unlike a regular burrow, it is longer and ends with a nesting chamber. A nest of stems and leaves is built inside; The female wears the material with her tail pressed to her stomach. Then she seals the corridor with one or more earthen plugs 15-20 cm thick to protect the hole from predators and floods. The female makes plugs with the help of her tail, which she uses like a mason’s spatula. The inside of the nest is always moist, which prevents the eggs from drying out. The male does not take part in building the burrow and raising the young.

2 weeks after mating, the female lays 1-3 (usually 2) eggs. Incubation lasts up to 10 days. During incubation, the female lies bent in a special way and holds the eggs on her body.

Platypus cubs are born naked and blind, approximately 2.5 cm long. The female, lying on her back, moves them to her belly. She does not have a brood pouch. The mother feeds the cubs with milk, which comes out through the enlarged pores on her stomach. Milk flows down the mother's fur, accumulating in special grooves, and the cubs lick it off. The mother leaves the offspring only for a short time to feed and dry the skin; leaving, she clogs the entrance with soil. The cubs' eyes open at 11 weeks. Milk feeding lasts up to 4 months; at 17 weeks, the cubs begin to leave the hole to hunt. Young platypuses reach sexual maturity at the age of 1 year.

Decoding the platypus genome showed that the platypus immune system contains a whole developed family of genes responsible for the production of antimicrobial protein molecules cathelicidin. Primates and vertebrates have only one copy of the cathelicidin gene in their genome. It is likely that the development of this antimicrobial genetic apparatus was necessary to enhance the immune defense of barely hatched platypus pups, which undergo the first, rather lengthy stages of their maturation in brood burrows. The young of other mammals go through these stages of their development while still in the sterile womb. Being more mature immediately after birth, they are more resistant to the action of pathogenic microorganisms and do not require increased immune protection.

The lifespan of platypuses in the wild is unknown, but one platypus lived in a zoo for 17 years.

Platypuses were previously hunted for their valuable fur, but at the beginning of the 20th century. hunting them was prohibited. Currently, their population is considered relatively stable, although due to water pollution and habitat degradation, the platypus' range is becoming increasingly patchy. It was also caused some damage by the rabbits brought by the colonists, who, by digging holes, disturbed the platypuses, forcing them to leave their habitable places.
The platypus is an easily excitable, nervous animal. The sound of a voice, footsteps, or some unusual noise or vibration is enough to throw the platypus out of balance for many days, or even weeks. Therefore, for a long time it was not possible to transport platypuses to zoos in other countries. The platypus was first successfully exported abroad in 1922 to the New York Zoo, but it only lived there for 49 days. Attempts to breed platypuses in captivity have been successful only a few times.

The platypus (lat. Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a waterfowl mammal of the monotreme order that lives in Australia. It is the only modern representative of the platypus family (Ornithorhynchidae); together with the echidnas, it forms the order of monotremes (Monotremata) - mammals, in a number of characteristics close to reptiles. This unique animal is one of the symbols of Australia; it appears on the reverse of the Australian 20 cent coin.

History of the study

Ever since scientists discovered the beak-nosed platypus in 1797, it has become evolution's mortal enemy. When this amazing animal was sent to England, scientists thought it was a fake made by Chinese taxidermiers. At that time, these craftsmen were famous for connecting different parts of the body of animals and making unusual stuffed animals. After the platypus was discovered, George Shaw introduced it to the public as Platypus anatinus (translated as flat-footed duck). This name did not last long, as another scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach changed it to “paradoxical bird's beak”, or Ornithorhynchus paradoxus (translated as paradoxical bird's beak). After much debate between the two scientists over the name of this animal, they finally came to an agreement and decided to call it Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Taxonomists were forced to classify the platypus as a separate order because it did not belong to any other order. Robert W. Feid explains it this way: “The platypus's nose is like a duck's beak. Each foot has not only five toes, but also webs, making the platypus something of a cross between a duck and an animal that can burrow and dig. Unlike most mammals, the platypus's limbs are short and parallel to the ground. Externally, the ear looks like an opening without the pinna, which is usually present in mammals. The eyes are small. The platypus is an animal that is nocturnal. It catches food underwater and stores a supply of food, i.e. worms, snails, larvae and other worms like squirrels in special bags that are located behind his cheeks"

There is a humorous parable according to which the Lord, having created the animal world, discovered the remains of “building material”, collected them together and connected them: a duck’s nose, a beaver’s tail, rooster spurs, webbed feet, sharp claws, thick short fur, cheek pouches, etc. .d.

Evolution of the platypus

Monotremes are the surviving members of one of the earliest mammalian lineages. The oldest monotreme discovered in Australia is 110 million years old (Steropodon). It was a small, rodent-like animal that was nocturnal and, most likely, did not lay eggs, but gave birth to severely underdeveloped cubs. A fossilized tooth from another fossil platypus (Obdurodon), found in 1991 in Patagonia, Argentina, indicates that the platypus' ancestors most likely came to Australia from South America when those continents formed part of the supercontinent Gondwanaland. The closest ancestors of modern

The platypus appeared about 4.5 million years ago, while the earliest fossil specimen of Ornithorhynchus anatinus itself dates back to the Pleistocene. Fossil platypuses resembled modern ones, but were smaller in size. In May 2008, it was announced that the platypus genome had been deciphered.

Description

The body of the platypus is tightly knit, short-legged, covered with thick, pleasant to the touch, dark brown hair, which acquires a grayish or reddish tint on the belly. Its head is round in shape, its eyes, as well as its nasal and ear openings are located in recesses, the edges of which meet tightly when the platypus dives.

The animal itself is small:

• Body length is from 30 to 40 cm (males are a third larger than females);
• Tail length – 15 cm;
• Weight – about 2 kg.

The animal's legs are located on the sides, which is why its gait is extremely reminiscent of the movement of reptiles on land. The animal’s paws have five toes, which are ideally suited not only for swimming, but also for digging: the swimming membrane connecting them is interesting because, if necessary, it can bend so much that the animal’s claws will be on the outside, turning a swimming limb into a digging limb.

Since the membranes on the animal’s hind legs are less developed, when swimming it actively uses its front legs, while it uses its hind legs as a rudder, with the tail acting as a balance. The tail is slightly flat and covered with hair. Interestingly, it can be used to very easily determine the age of the platypus: the older it is, the less fur it has. The animal’s tail is also notable for the fact that it is in it, and not under the skin, that fat reserves are stored.

Beak

The most remarkable thing in the appearance of the animal will, perhaps, be its beak, which looks so unusual that it seems that it was once torn off from a duck, repainted black and attached to its fluffy head.

The beak of the platypus differs from the beak of birds: it is soft and flexible. At the same time, like a duck, it is flat and wide: with a length of 65 mm, its width is 50 mm. Another interesting feature of the beak is that it is covered with elastic skin, which contains a huge number of nerve endings. Thanks to them, the platypus, while on land, has an excellent sense of smell, and is also the only mammal that senses weak electric fields that appear during muscle contraction of even the smallest animals, such as crayfish. Such electrolocation abilities enable an animal that is blind and deaf in an aquatic environment to detect prey: to do this, while under water, it constantly turns its head in different directions.

Anatomical features of the platypus

Evolutionists are surprised by the variety of structural features that can be found in the platypus. Looking at its beak, you might think that it is

relative of the duck; by his tail one could classify him as a beaver; his hair is similar to that of a bear; its webbed feet resemble those of an otter; and its claws resemble those of reptiles. Behind all this diversity there is definitely the hand of God, and certainly not evolution!

The physiological diversity of the platypus is simply breathtaking. Spurs located on the platypus's hind legs secrete a toxic substance. This venom is almost as strong as the venom of most venomous snakes! This feature makes the platypus the only poisonous animal in the world whose body is covered with hair. Stuart Burgess, in his book Signs of Design, points out the following:

“The platypus, like an ordinary mammal, feeds its young with milk. However, unlike other mammals, the platypus does not have nipples for feeding. The milk penetrates through the holes located on its body!”

It is with the help of nipples that mammals feed their young. The platypus breaks this rule and uses the holes on its body as a way to feed its young. If we look at these functions of the platypus from the point of view of evolutionary classification, they seem paradoxical. However, from a creationist perspective, explaining why God created something so different from all other animals becomes much easier.

The fossil record also supports the fact that the platypus is a real creature that did not evolve from a common ancestor. Scott M. Hughes writes: “There are several good reasons to disagree with the evolutionary interpretation of the origin of the platypus.

These some reasons are the following facts:

1. The fossilized remains of the platypus are absolutely identical to modern forms.
2. The complex structures of the egg or mammary glands are always fully developed and do not help in any way to explain the origin and development of the platypus's uterus and milk.
3. More typical mammals are found in strata much lower than the egg-laying platypus. So the platypus is a special kind of animal that was specifically created to have such diverse features.”

Evolutionists are unable to explain the anatomical structure of the platypus; they cannot explain its physiological characteristics; and they don't know how to explain this animal using evolutionary processes. One thing is clear: the diversity of the platypus leaves evolutionary scientists completely confused.

How does he live and what does he eat?

Australian platypuses live near lakes and rivers, near swamps, and in warm lagoon waters. The 10 m long hole has 2 entrances: one is located under the roots of trees and camouflaged in the thickets, the other is underwater. The entrance to the hole is very narrow. When the owner passes through it, even water is squeezed out of the animal’s coat.

The animal hunts at night and is in the water all the time. He needs food per day, the weight of which is at least a quarter of the weight of the animal itself. It feeds on small animals: frogs and snails, small fish, insects, crustaceans. It even eats algae.

In search of its breakfast, it can turn out stones on land with its beak and claws. Underwater, the fast-moving animal catches its prey in a few seconds. Having caught food, no

eats it immediately and stores it in its cheek pouches. When it floats up, it eats, rubbing its prey with horny plates. He has them instead of teeth.

Platypus breeding

The breeding season for platypuses occurs once a year between August and November. During this period, the males swim into the females’ areas, the couple spins in a kind of dance: the male grabs the female by the tail and they swim in a circle. There are no mating fights between males; they also do not form permanent pairs.

Before the start of the mating season, all platypuses go into hibernation for 5-10 days. Having woken up, the animals actively get down to business. Before mating begins, each male courts the female by biting her tail. The mating season lasts from August to November.

After mating, the female begins to build a brood burrow. It differs from the usual one in being long and at the end of the hole there is a nesting chamber. The female also equips the brood hole inside, placing various leaves and stems in the nesting chamber. Upon completion of construction work, the female closes the corridors to the nesting chamber with plugs from the ground. Thus, the female protects the shelter from floods or attacks by predators. The female then lays eggs. More often it is 1 or 2 eggs, less often 3. Platypus eggs are more like reptile eggs than birds. They are round in shape and covered with a leathery grayish-white shell. Having laid the eggs, the female remains in the hole almost all the time, warming them until the babies hatch.

Platypus cubs appear on the 10th day after laying. Babies are born blind and completely without hair up to 2.5 cm in length. To be born, babies break through the shell with a special egg tooth, which falls out immediately after birth. The mother moves the newly hatched cubs onto her stomach and feeds them with milk protruding from the pores on the stomach. The new mother does not leave her babies for a long time, but only for a few hours to hunt and dry the fur.

At the 11th week of life, babies are completely covered with hair and begin to see. The cubs hunt independently as early as 4 months. Young platypuses lead a completely independent life without a mother after the 1st year of life.

Enemies

The platypus has few natural enemies. But at the beginning of the twentieth century. he was on the verge of extinction. In Australia, poachers mercilessly exterminated the animal because of its valuable fur. More than 60 skins were used to sew one fur coat. A complete ban on hunting was successful. Platypuses were saved from complete destruction.

Determination of gender

In 2004, scientists from the Australian National University in Canberra discovered that the platypus has 10 sex chromosomes, rather than two (XY) like most mammals. Accordingly, the combination XXXXXXXXXXX produces a female, and XYXYXYXYXY produces a male. All sex chromosomes are connected into a single complex, which behaves as a single whole in meiosis. Therefore, males produce sperm with chains XXXXX and YYYYY. When sperm XXXXX fertilizes an egg, female platypuses are born if the sperm

YYYYY – male platypuses. Although the platypus chromosome X1 has 11 genes that are found on all X chromosomes in mammals, and chromosome X5 has a gene called DMRT1 found on the Z chromosome in birds, being a key sex-determining gene in birds, overall genomic studies have shown that five sex The X chromosome of the platypus is homologous to the Z chromosome of birds. The platypus does not have the SRY gene (a key gene for sex determination in mammals). It is characterized by incomplete dosage compensation, recently described in birds. Apparently, the mechanism for determining the sex of the platypus is similar to that of its reptilian ancestors.

Population status and conservation

Platypuses were previously hunted for their valuable fur, but at the beginning of the 20th century, hunting them was prohibited. Currently, their population is considered relatively stable, although due to water pollution and habitat degradation, the platypus' range is becoming increasingly patchy. It was also caused some damage by the rabbits brought by the colonists, who, by digging holes, disturbed the platypuses, forcing them to leave their habitable places.

Australians have created a special system of nature reserves and “sanctuaries” where platypuses can feel safe. Among them, the most famous are Healesville Nature Reserve in Victoria and West Burleigh in Queensland. The platypus is an easily excitable, timid animal, so for a long time it was not possible to export platypuses to zoos in other countries. The platypus was first successfully exported abroad in 1922 to the New York Zoo, but it only lived there for 49 days. Attempts to breed platypuses in captivity have been successful only a few times.

Relationships with people

While in nature this animal has few enemies (sometimes it is attacked by a python, a crocodile, a bird of prey, a monitor lizard, a fox, or a accidentally swam seal), at the beginning of the last century it found itself on the verge of extinction. The hundred-year hunt did its job and destroyed almost everyone: products made from platypus fur turned out to be so popular that poachers had no mercy (about 65 skins are needed to sew one fur coat).

The situation turned out to be so critical that already at the beginning of the last century, hunting for platypuses was completely prohibited. The measures were successful: now the population is quite stable and is not in danger, and the animals themselves, being indigenous to Australia and refusing to breed on other continents, are considered a symbol of the continent and are even depicted on one of the coins.

Where to look?

To see a live platypus, you can visit Melbourne Zoo or Healesville Australian Animal Sanctuary outside Melbourne. The natural habitat conditions of the platypus in nature are recreated here, and you can almost always observe this amazing animal.

1. After the discovery of platypuses, scientists for another 27 years did not know which class to classify these animals into. It was only when the German biologist Meckel discovered mammary glands in a female platypus that they were classified as mammals.
2. Female platypuses lay eggs like reptiles or birds.
3. Platypuses have the slowest metabolism of all mammals. But if necessary, for example, to warm up in cold water, the platypus can speed up the metabolism by 3 times.
4. The normal body temperature of the platypus is only 32°C.
5. There are only two mammals that can sense electrical signals, and one of them is the platypus. Using electropolation, platypuses can sense the electrical fields of their prey.
6. Platypuses are poisonous, but only the males. Each male platypus has spurs on its hind legs that are connected to a gland on its thigh. During the mating season, the gland produces a very strong poison that can easily kill a medium-sized animal, for example, a dingo. Although platypus venom is not fatal to humans.
7. In male platypuses, the reproductive testes are located inside the body near the kidneys.
8. Platypuses live only in fresh water, never swimming into salt waters.
9. The platypus's beak is soft, not hard like a bird's, covered with skin.
10. The platypus' feet are designed for both swimming and digging.
11. Female platypuses do not have a brood pouch or nipples. The milk flows straight down the fur, and the babies simply lick it off.
12. Platypuses live on average about 10 years.
13. The platypus is featured on the Australian 20 cent coin.
14. Under water, platypuses cannot see, hear or smell anything, since the valves of the nostrils and the grooves of the ears and eyes are closed.
15. Every year, platypuses go into hibernation for 5-10 days, after which the mating season begins.

Video

Sources

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus

Platypus– lat. Ornithorhynchus anatius, the only member of the platypus family, belongs to the class Mammals.

The structure of platypuses

The front face of the platypus is presented in the form of a horny cover, slightly reminiscent of a duck's beak, hence the name - platypus.

Another feature of the platypus is its flattened tail, which is similar to the tail of a river beaver, but unlike the beaver, it has thick and beautiful hair. The body of the platypus is also covered with hair and is mainly dark brown in color.

Between the toes, the platypus is “equipped” with well-developed swimming membranes, which is why the platypus swims so well and feels great in the water.

The platypus has no teeth; instead, there are horny plates located on the sides of the jaws.

The platypus is an amazing animal, the structure of which has many features reminiscent of reptiles. For example, the temperature of the platypus, like that of reptiles, is very low - about 27 degrees. They also have a cloaca, into which there is an opening from the intestinal tract.

Habitat and nutrition of platypuses

The platypus lives in shallow and small burrows near rivers, lakes and other various bodies of water. Minks are pulled out off the coast, almost near the water.

The platypus obtains food by rummaging in the mud, digging out various worms (sandworms) and their larvae, mollusks, etc. It also feeds on small aquatic and terrestrial insects.

Reproduction of platypuses

Another feature that reminds the platypus of reptiles is the absence of a uterus. Platypuses hatch their offspring using eggs the size of a hazelnut, covered with a soft, leathery shell. Eggs are laid and incubated in nests, much like birds do, while reptiles lay their eggs in warm, cozy places. Next comes another feature that resembles a platypus, like a mammal, an animal to which, in principle, it belongs. The peculiarity is that the hatched cubs, like all mammalian cubs, are fed with mother's milk. But again, there are no nipples on the body of platypuses; as a result, the mammary glands are located on the stomach in special pits or depressions in the skin. The cubs simply lick the milk from the belly.

All this says only one thing, Platypuses are amazing animals!!!

At the moment, platypuses are listed in the Red Book. Platypuses are the last representatives of the descendants of the most ancient lower mammals and are on the verge of extinction.

Class – mammals (mammalia)

Order – oviparous (monotremata)

Family – platypus (ornithorhynchidae)

Genus – platypuses (ornithorhynchus)

Species – platypus (ornithorhynchus anatinus)

Despite the fact that the platypus is a mammal, it does not give birth to live young, but, like birds and reptiles, lays eggs. This unusual waterfowl lives on the banks of small rivers and reservoirs in Eastern Australia and nearby islands.

Electrolocation

The platypus has the ability to perceive electrical signals from the environment, which helps it not only navigate in space, but also greatly facilitates the search for prey. When immersed in water, the animal's eyes and nostrils are closed, and movement in the water space occurs thanks to special receptors located in the soft beak and performing the functions of an electrolocator. It is thanks to these sensitive receptors that the platypus can detect weak electric fields and be sent in search of a moving prey.

The platypus can be seen on the reverse of Australia's 20 cent coin.

• The soft, flat beak, covered with elastic skin, reaches 65 cm in length and 50 cm in width.
• There are no auricles, and the ear canals end in simple openings.
• The platypus's five-fingered feet are adapted for both swimming and burrowing.
• The platypus' feet grow on the sides of the body, like those of reptiles. Therefore, when walking, it very much resembles these reptiles.
• It turns out that male platypuses are one of the few venomous mammals whose venom is contained in the spurs on their hind legs. In females, such spurs do not develop and disappear at the age of one. The venom of the platypus is fatal for a small animal, but does not pose much danger to humans, but severe swelling develops at the injection site!
• The excess fat accumulated in the tail helps the animal cope with periods of hunger.
• The normal body temperature of the platypus is only 32 °C, moreover, it largely depends on the ambient temperature. However, even in very cold water, it can maintain its normal temperature only by increasing its metabolic rate by more than three times.
• Special membranes are stretched between the animal’s paws, which fold as soon as the platypus is on land and do not interfere with its walking.

Life by the water

Platypuses are nocturnal, semi-aquatic animals that inhabit the banks of bodies of standing water and small rivers. This unusual waterfowl lives in a hole up to 10 m long. As a rule, the hole has two entrances: one from the water side, the second from land, located under the roots of trees. When swimming, the platypus uses its front legs, and its back legs act as a rudder. Being an excellent swimmer and diver, the platypus spends up to 10 hours in the water, mainly at night.

Exceptional gluttony

The platypus is known to be very voracious. Most often, the mass of food eaten reaches a quarter of its weight, and in females during lactation even more! The basis of nutrition consists of small aquatic animals, as well as invertebrates: crustaceans, tadpoles, worms. The platypus also eats aquatic vegetation and the larvae of various insects. With its flat beak, it raises the silt and catches all the small disturbed inhabitants of the bottom. The platypus has special cheek pouches, which it fills with food, and in order to grind all its reserves, it rises to the surface or goes ashore.

You should know it

• International scientific name: Ornithorhynchus anatinus.
• Security status: causing the least concern.
• Characteristic: The body length of an adult animal ranges from 30 to 40 cm, the tail - 10-15 cm; weight reaches 2 kg. The platypus' fur is thick, brown in color, with reddish tints on the belly. Lifespan in the wild is unknown, but in captivity it averages 10 years.
• This is interesting: The platypus has 10 sex chromosomes, not 2, like most mammals.

The mammalian animal platypus, a photo of which can be seen on Australian stamps and the official symbols of Australia, belongs to the order of monotremes and has a number of characteristics that bring it closer to reptiles. The animal is considered rare and is not found on other continents.

The platypus (photo of the animal is presented below) is a small animal. The length of its body does not exceed 30, sometimes 40 cm. The tail and beak of the animal deserve special attention. And if the first in many ways resembles the tail of a beaver, then the second has much in common with the beak of an ordinary duck, which was the reason for the platypus receiving its own name.

The tail is flat, covered with hair in young animals, and hairless in old animals (the hair falls out over time). Fat reserves are deposited in the animal's tail, which help preserve life during periods of food shortage. The body is covered with thick, very soft fur of a dark brown shade. The abdomen is light brown or red.

Beak

The front part of the platypus's head is extended forward, gradually turning into a flat beak. The head is round in shape and small in size. The width of the beak is 5 cm, the length is 6.5 cm. It is in many ways similar to a duck’s, but unlike it, it is not represented by hard plates, but by 2 soft bones, covered with thin, well-stretchable skin.

The platypus has cheek pouches, they seem to expand the oral cavity and serve to store food reserves. In the lower part of the beak, males have a special gland that secretes a secretion that emits an unpleasant musky aroma. Young animals have teeth - only 8. They are fragile, quickly wear out and soon turn into keratinized plates.

Closer to the eyes, there are 2 nasal openings on the beak. The surface of the beak contains nerve endings, giving the animal the ability to use electrolocation. It turns its head to detect weak signals of radiation from future prey, such as crayfish. Although the echidna has similar receptors, it does not use them when searching for food.

Description of the platypus:

Animal venom

The platypus (a photo of the animal and its description can be found in reference books and guides to Australia), unlike many mammals, is poisonous. There are horny spurs on the hind legs of young animals of both sexes. In females that have reached one year of age, they disappear, but in males they remain, reaching a length of 1.2-1.5 cm.

On the eve of mating, the male's femoral gland begins to produce poison, which enters the spur and turns the animal's hind legs into a deadly weapon.

During the rutting period, platypuses inflict many blows on each other, trying to scratch the enemy with the claws of their hind legs. In this case, the enemy dies from severe painful shock. Platypus venom can kill dingoes. It does not pose a danger to humans, but severe swelling may form at the site of impact, and pain persists for several weeks and months.

Kinds

The platypus (the photo of the animal shows its color and external features) is the only representative of its species. Its closest relative is the echidna.

Like the platypus, it is the last surviving early mammal species.

The ancestors of the platypus lived on the Australian continent more than 4.5 million years ago.

Determination of gender

The platypus genome was deciphered in 2008. It contains 10 chromosomes responsible for gender. Other mammals, including humans, have only 2 such chromosomes - X and Y. A sequence of 10 X means that the researcher is in front of a female, and the alternation of X and Y allows us to talk about the presence of a male in front of him.

The method of sex determination is similar to that used to determine this important characteristic in the egg-laying ancestors of the platypus, as well as birds. Female platypuses lay eggs. Their ovaries have much in common with the ovaries of birds and reptiles.

The main reproductive function is assigned to the left ovary, the right one is underdeveloped and does not participate in the process of laying eggs by the female. The testicles of males are located inside the body, this is the only thing that distinguishes the structure of the genital organs of the male platypus from the genital organs of other mammals.

Features of the animal

Platypuses do not have ears in the usual sense for mammals. This is the only mammal that has electrical receptors and uses them to find prey. Once immersed in water, the platypus can no longer rely on sight or smell. They are replaced by the ability to detect electrical signals supplied by the environment.

Another feature of platypuses is their slow metabolism at a body temperature not exceeding 32 degrees Celsius. At the same time, when the ambient temperature drops, the metabolism in the platypus’s body is 3 times higher, which allows it to easily tolerate a sharp drop in air and water temperatures at night.

What does the body consist of?

Each of the 4 paws has 5 toes, designed both for free movement in water and for digging holes. This is possible due to the mobility in the membrane on the front paws. It bends inward, long claws intended for digging are put forward.

The membranes on the hind legs are very small, so when immersed in water, the platypus practically does not use them, setting the course with its front legs and helping itself with its tail. When moving on land, the platypus spreads its legs wide apart, which is why from afar it can be mistaken for a reptile (alligators move similarly on the ground).

Due to the location of the eyes and nose in special grooves that close under the water, the platypus does not see or touch anything when diving. Hearing, vision and smell are replaced by nerve endings, a large number of which are located on the skin and in the beak area.

Females do not have mammary glands, but these animals still feed their offspring with milk, which seeps through the pores located on the abdomen (it was the absence of mammary glands that was the reason that the animals could not be correctly classified for a long time).

Lifestyle

Platypuses usually live near warm rivers and streams, but some representatives of this species live in high-altitude streams with cold water. Most often, animals are found near swamps, rivers and lakes, which abound in the tropics.

Unlike beavers, platypuses do not build houses; they dig a deep hole in the coastal soil, up to 10 m long.

The hole is necessarily equipped with 2 passages - 1 is under water, and the other is on land, but well camouflaged and not easy to get to. The entrance from the side of the reservoir is much narrower than the one that allows you to enter the hole from land. By squeezing through it, the platypus frees itself from unnecessary moisture. Excess water is squeezed out of his coat.

The animal hunts at night. Prey lies in wait at the bottom of a reservoir or is found under stones and snags on land. In the latter case, the platypus often resorts to using its paws and claws, using them to turn over stones under which it hopes to find food. He is very dexterous and fast, and it is not easy for a potential victim to hide from him both in water and on land.

Nutrition

The platypus finds snails, insects and worms under snags and stones, and catches crustaceans, frogs, other living creatures and algae in the pond. The amount of food consumed per day is ¼ of the total weight of the animal. He constantly searches for prey, spending up to 10 hours a day in the water.

The platypus collects the food it gets while diving into its cheek pouches. At the end of the hunt, it floats up, lies down on the water and grinds food with the horny plates remaining in place of the teeth. The female takes some of the food to the burrow, where she feeds the cubs.

Reproduction and lifespan

The rut or mating period begins in August and continues until November. Sexually mature females and males shortly before this fall into a short hibernation, lasting from 5 to 10 days.

Platypuses mate in water. At least 5 different ways of courtship between males and females have been identified. But the most common option is considered to be one in which the male grabs the female by the tail, making several circular movements with her. After 2-3 circles the animals mate. The animals do not form married couples. During the season, 1 male covers 2-3 or more females.

Platypuses live on average up to 10 years. Life expectancy is indicated in relation to animals living in a zoo or reserve. In the wild, life expectancy depends on weather conditions and the number of predators living in close proximity to the animal’s place of residence.

Hatching eggs

At the end of mating, the female leaves the male and begins to dig an additional hole in which she lays eggs. The hatchling burrow has only one entrance and is longer and wider than the platypus's usual habitat. The nest is made of leaves and stems of plants brought by the female with the help of her tail.

The animal presses the grass and plant stems dug up along with the roots with its tail to its stomach and thus transports them to the site where the nest is built. Eggs are laid 2 weeks after mating. There are not many of them - only 1-2 pieces (less often 3), and they are very small - up to 1.1 cm in diameter, have a round shape and outwardly have much in common with the eggs laid by reptiles.

The shell is leathery, off-white in color. The eggs are glued together with a sticky substance that protects them from external influences.

Baby platypus

The eggs hatch from the eggs 10 days after laying. They are completely helpless, cannot see anything, and are freezing, since the fur covering their bodies grows a little later. The length of a newborn’s body does not exceed 2.5 cm. A special egg tooth helps them get out of the egg, which falls out immediately after breaking through the shell.

To prevent the young or eggs from freezing, the female seals the hole with an earthen plug. The female places the hatched cubs on her stomach, where they gain access to mother's milk, which appears through the enlarged pores. The liquid flows down the fur and accumulates in special pores on the belly, from where the animals lick it off.

The female almost never leaves the hole, spending all her time with the cubs. In those rare cases when she needs to leave her offspring unattended, she plugs the nest with earth. At about 11 weeks of life, the cubs begin to see, after another 6 weeks they begin to freely leave the hole and hunt. This happens around January or March.

Breastfeeding stops at 4 months after birth. The young are ready to mate at the age of 1-2 years.

Enemies of the platypus

Since the platypus spends most of the daylight hours in a hole, leaving it only to hunt at night, it has few enemies. Small platypuses are sometimes hunted by dingoes, while adult platypuses become prey for platypuses and pythons. Sometimes they are hunted by leopards that can swim in water, have good speed and the ability to patiently wait for prey to appear.

Before the ban, the platypus was hunted with dogs. The dogs could chase the animal not only on land, but also under water. The only disadvantage of this method of fishing was considered to be the possible death of the dog due to injury from the rear poisonous limbs of the platypus.

Relationships with people

Platypuses are animals whose photos are extremely popular, are not aggressive, and try to stay away from human habitation and industrial areas. There have been no cases of platypus attacks on humans.

But the animal can seriously injure a person with its paws with claws located on them, poison is released from the spurs on the hind legs, so when studying animals in their natural habitat, removing them from traps placed on rabbits and other small animals, people should be careful.

Population status and conservation

They learned about platypuses in Europe relatively recently - towards the end of the 18th century. Initially, no one believed in the existence of such an unusual animal. But after the completion of the colonization of the Australian continent, the hunt for platypuses began. The skins and carcasses of small animals were very popular among tourists. They were used to make items of clothing and stuffed animals.

Mass extermination almost led to their extinction, so they stopped hunting platypuses, and they themselves were taken under state protection. The authorities have created a network of nature reserves and shelters where animals can live without worrying about safety. The most famous are the Holsfill and West Burley nature reserves. Here you can meet the platypus and watch its movements.

Since only a small number of platypuses survive in captivity, this animal is practically not found in zoos around the world. The extremely shy platypus dies before the end of its transportation to its new habitat. It is difficult to calculate the number of animals living in the wild; in recent years, their population has acquired relative stability.

But many of the negative environmental factors that forced platypuses to leave their habitual places still remain. Thus, widespread pollution of water bodies and coastal zones, as well as rabbits that have bred in Australia, force animals to look for new habitats. During the migration process, many of them die at the hands of humans or wild animals.

The most interesting facts about platypuses

The platypus (photo of the animal and its description is discussed above) is a rare animal. It lives on only one continent - Australia, and therefore much about its way of life remains poorly understood or unknown.

Interesting facts about the platypus:

Attempts to breed platypuses in artificial conditions almost never end in success. The animals cannot live in captivity, and if this happens, they refuse to mate and lay eggs. A small animal, the platypus, when viewed from the back, is very reminiscent of a beaver, as can be seen in the photographs. The flatfoot is not dangerous to humans; it has been used for fishing purposes for a long time.

At the moment, hunting for the platypus is prohibited, but there are still many factors that negatively affect the life of these mammals, not the least of which is human activity.

Article format: Ilchenko Oksana

Video about the platypus

Description of the platypus: