The platypus is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia. It is one of the few species of venomous mammals, as it has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans. Until the early 20th century humans hunted the Platypus for its fur, but it is now protected throughout its range. The animal has been used as an emblem of Australia since the 1950s and is now the state’s official mascot.
About Platypus in brief
The platypus is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia. It is one of the few species of venomous mammals, as it has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans. The unusual appearance of this duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it. The species is classified as a near-threatened species by the IUCN, but a November 2020 report has recommended that it is upgraded to threatened species under the federal EPBC Act. It has appeared as a mascot at national events and features on the reverse of the Australian twenty-cent coin, and is the animal emblem of the state of New South Wales. Until the early 20th century humans hunted the Platypus for its fur, but it is now protected throughout its range. Although captive-breeding programs have had only limited success, and the platypos is vulnerable to the effects of pollution, it is not under any immediate threat. Scientists generally use the plural ‘platypuses’ to refer to this species of mammal. The common name ‘Platypus’ is the latinisation of the Greek word ‘flat-footed’, which means ‘broad, wide, flat’ or ‘bird-like’ in Latin. In 1788, British settlers called it by many names, such as ‘watermole’, ‘duckbill’ and’mole-bill’, and it is occasionally prefixed with the adjective ‘ducker’ The animal is now a legally protected species in all states where it occurs, but only listed as an endangered species in South Australia.
As of 2020, the species is not considered to be a threat to public safety. It was independently described as Ornithorhynchus paradoxus by Johann Blumenbach in 1800 and following the rules of priority of nomenclature, it was later officially recognised as ‘Ornithorchus anatinus’ It is the sole living representative of its family and genus, though a number of related species appear in the fossil record. The animal has been used as an emblem of Australia since the 1950s and is now the state’s official mascot. It can be found in Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, New Zealand, South Africa, Tasmania, New England and the Northern Territory. It also appears on the Australian Twenty-cent Coin, as well as the Australian Commonwealth Banknote and Australian Treasury Banknotes. It senses prey through electrolocation, and has a venomous spur on its hind foot, which is used to hunt for food. The male platypUS has a spurs on his hind foot to deliver a venom that is capable of inflicting severe pain on humans. It’s one of five species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
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This page is based on the article Platypus published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 01, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
