Table of Contents
When did the platypus first appear?
about 110 million years ago
Evolution, paleontology, and classification The first occurrence in the fossil record of a platypus-like monotreme is from about 110 million years ago, in the early Cretaceous Period, when Australia was still connected to South America by Antarctica.
Who invented the platypus?
When British scientists first laid eyes on the platypus in the late 18th century, some of them thought the specimen — sent back from its native Australia — must be a hoax. “It naturally excites the idea of some deceptive preparation by artificial means,” English zoologist George Shaw wrote in 1799.
What is the oldest platypus in the world?
While most wild platypuses are expected to live no more than 12 years, this guy, called the “grandpa platypus†by an Australian newspaper, and who was first tagged in the mid-1990’s, has reached the grand old age of 21—making him the oldest known wild platypus on record.
Why is the platypus so special?
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. With the tail of a beaver, and a bill like a duck’s, the platypus is a real ungainly creature.
How many extinct species of platypus have been discovered?
four extinct platypus species
Only four extinct platypus species have been discovered, each in different periods of time, leading scientists to believe that either there are huge gaps in the fossil record or the platypus family tree is simply not very diverse.
Who was the first person to describe the platypus?
George Shaw, keeper of the natural history collections at the British Museum (which were to later become the Natural History Museum), accepted the platypus as a real animal. In 1799 he was the first to scientifically describe it, assigning it the species name Platypus anatinus, meaning flat-footed duck.
Where does the duck billed platypus live in the world?
The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species appear in the fossil record.
Is the platypus the only mammal in the world?
The platypus ( Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the world’s most evolutionarily distinct mammals, one of five extant species of egg-laying mammals, and the only living species within the family Ornithorhynchidae.
When was the platypus legally protected in Australia?
In the late 19th and early 20th century, platypuses were widely hunted for fur and sport. They were legally protected in all states by 1912 (Victoria—1892; New South Wales—1901; Queensland—1906; Tasmania—1907; South Australia—1912), stimulating considerable study of their natural history ( Burrell 1927; Barrett 1944; Fleay 1944 ).