![]() Despite its potency, the unique chemical components of platypus venom are of medical interest to researchers. The areas surrounding the wounds will also swell up with fluid. Even powerful painkillers, such as morphine, are almost ineffective at providing pain relief. Often, the victims of a platypus will experience heightened feelings of pain for days, or even months. Platypus venom is very potent in fact, it’s strong enough to paralyze or even kill a dog! It isn’t strong enough to kill most humans, but being envenomated can still cause excruciating pain. Since only males have this gland, it is believed that they are used to assert dominance against other males during the breeding season. Though both sexes sport ankle spurs on their hindlegs, only the males produce venom. The male platypus is one of the few mammals known to be venomous. Male Platypuses are Venomous Image credit: Doug Gimesy/University of Sydney To provide further protection from damaging its webbed paws, the platypus walks on its knuckles on land, just like a gorilla! 4. Its dense fur is waterproof, and its feet are webbed. The platypus is heavily adapted for a semiaquatic lifestyle. The result? It chews its food using grinding plates on its jaws, along with the bits of gravel it will also catch. The platypus loses its teeth upon maturity. It rummages its bill through the muddy river bottoms in hopes of finding a meal. ![]() Its nostrils also close tightly to hold its breath. ![]() Its eyes seal shut when diving underwater to protect them from sharp branches and other objects. It exclusively detects weak electrical pulses emitted by its prey. It is one of the few mammals to utilize electrolocation through its many nerve endings located throughout its muzzle. The platypus’s “beak” (a modified snout covered in soft skin) helps this creature find food underwater. It was thought that a duck's bill was attached to a beaver or other similar animal. When dead specimens were brought to Europe, scientists believed that it was a work of various animal parts sewn together by an Asian taxidermist. When the platypus was first discovered by European zoologists, they thought it was a hoax. They Were Once Thought to be Fake Image credit: San Diego Zoo Yabbies, a type of crayfish, are a particular favorite for these monotremes.ģ. Platypuses eat mainly aquatic invertebrates such as insect larvae, crustaceans, and worms. Since it doesn’t have a stomach, the platypus spends most of its awake time foraging for food it typically spends around 10-12 hours a day searching for food and eats around 20% of its body weight. Why it lost its stomach is still questioned its echidna relatives also lack this organ. Only a small, unnoticeable pouch remains where its stomach once was. The platypus has no stomach at all instead, its esophagus (or food pipe) leads almost directly into its intestines. The Platypus has No Stomach Image credit: John Carnemolla/Shutterstock The platypus’s thick tail meanwhile serves as fat storage along with helping the animal steer underwater. Due to this, its fur coat is well-insulated to keep the platypus warm, but in turn, makes them prone to overheating. Its ear bones are more cartilage-based than actual bone, and its body temperature is a tad bit lower than other mammals. The platypus sports other characteristically primitive traits of mammals. Echidnas, along with the platypus, are the only egg-laying mammals living today. The only other surviving monotremes today are four species of echidnas. The word “monotreme” translates to “single opening” in Greek, notably due to its singular cloacal opening (which serves for both excretory and reproductive functions). Platypuses are monotremes, which are a rather primitive group of mammals that branched out from all other living mammal lineages millions of years ago. Platypuses don’t have nipples they sport “milk patches” instead, or mammary glands that secrete milk for their babies. Usually, platypuses will dig simple burrows (known as “camping burrows”), which they'll use as an everyday shelter however, when a female is ready to lay eggs, she will dig a much more complex “nesting burrow”.Īfter the eggs hatch, the babies (known colloquially as "puggles") will lap up milk from their mother's skin. It’s true! Unlike most other mammals, the platypus does not give live birth instead, females lay a small clutch of around one to three soft, leathery eggs. This Mammal Lays Eggs Image credit: Doug Gimesy / Shutterstock
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |