The Platypus: A Strange Mix - Natalea Odell

The Platypus: A Strange Mix 

You might know platypuses from the kids Disney show “Phineas and Ferb”, but what do you really know about these unique creatures? Once you discover the strange combination of physical features, you will understand why the super-spy in this show is a platypus. 

They are not native to the United States, but some zoos or aquariums may have these curious evolutionary mixes. They are quite adorable, resembling several animals that are native to our country. When they were first discovered, some thought they were a hoax. They have fur, like mammals, but also have a beak like a duck. They lay eggs like reptiles but produce milk for their young. Adult males also have venomous spurs on their back feet. The venom is lethal but there are not any reported deaths. How do they survive with all these different characteristics? Well, they are perfectly adapted to their environment. Their webbed and clawed feet allow them to swim graciously throughout the water and dig into various substances. 

Its original scientific name means ‘flat footed duck”, later becoming “paradoxical bird-snout”, and its newest scientific name means “bird-snouted flat foot”. Because this animal came as such a shock when it was first discovered, scientists did not know how to classify it. Instead, an entirely new order was created called “Monotremata”. Other animals, like echidnas, are also in this order. These animals produce milk like mammals but lay eggs like reptiles. If you thought they couldn’t get any more interesting, they hunt the way sharks do! Both of these animals use electronic impulses to find food in water. Sharks may attack their prey when they find it, but platypuses usually bring their meal to the surface. They spend a lot, I mean a lot, of time under water. They have two layers of fur allowing them to stay under the surface for up to twelve hours a day. 

These creatures also glow under UV light! We are not sure why, it could be to camouflage themselves, or it could be a unique feature left over from evolution. Either way, this was discovered 15 years ago, and we still don’t have an answer! And, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll be pleased to know that maybe platypuses are called “puggles”, similar to “muggles” aka humans in the Harry Potter world. Even as babies, they look almost identical to full grown adults (not in size, of course).


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