In this blog we will discuss about the Platypus, General history and Biological classification of Platypus, Body description -Platypus, Electrolocation In Platypus, Venom of Platypus, Ecological Distribution, predators and Behavior of the Platypus, Diet of Platypus and How Do Platypus Reproduce.

Introduction

Detective Mr. Platypus berry is a well-known cartoon character everyone has known since childhood. But, do you know the history of a Platypus? The origin of Platypus? and the biological and environmental status of Platypus? If No, then today, this blog will give a detailed summary of your favorite cartoon character and a unique character-holding creature of Earth.

In ancient days when scientists first found the fossils of Platypus, they claimed it was a fake animal. Because the characters which are get concluded from the fossils showed the combined results of many animals. Its unusual appearance, egg-laying, duck-billed, beavers tailed and webbed feet like many mammals. These all in one-character combination leads to question the existence of the Platypus. From all these combined characters, the one basic question is the platypus mammal?

Platypus is also known as duck-billed Platypus. This east Australian semiaquatic animal is the sole living representative of its family Ornithorthynchidae and genus Ornithorhynchus. One of the unique features of the Platypus is the ability to electrolocation of its prey. Despite its weird looks, its unique features make it an important topic for evolution in biology and a renowned and iconic symbol of Australia.

Though Platypus has a cute and adorable look, one should not forget its ability to produce venom. One more interesting fact I would like to add about Platypus is their evolution. Scientists believe that the Platypus evolved 112 million years ago, even before dragons.    

General history and Biological classification of Platypus 

The common name Platypus is derived from the ancient Greek word “Platypus .” In this platus means broad or wide or flat, and pous means foot; hence the overall meaning of Platypus is “Flatfoot .” Platypus is monotremes that can sense their prey with electrolocation.

Till the twentieth century, these flatfoots get hunted for their fur but were now protected legally by various acts. Before knowing their fur utilization, these animals also get captured as food. According to the IUCN list of conservation, initially, Platypus comes under the near-threatened category species. And according to the recently updated report of Nov 2020, it shifts from near threatened to threatened species. Under the federal EPBC act due to the destruction of habitat and decreasing number in all states.

Many different programs were run to protect the number of decreasing species. One of the programs called captive breeding is also used to increase species density. These animals are mostly inhabited in eastern Australia, including Tasmania.  

The biological classification of Platypus

Body description of Platypus 

Let’s look at a rough description of the platypus body. The overall recognizable parts are its duck-like beak, dense furry tail, and flat webbed feet. Its body and broad flat tail are covered with dense brown biofluorescent fur. This dense waterproof layer of fur maintains the body temperature warm.  

Most Platypus body fat is stored in the tail, which is basically used as an energy supply. The webbed foot played two in one role like in water it is used for swimming, and while walking on the land, it gets folded back. Its enlarged snout and jaw are covered in soft skin, forming the bill. While nostrils are located on the dorsal surface of the snout. The groove is close while swimming in which the eyes and ears are present.

The average life span of the Platypus is around 12-20 years, and the average body weight is 0.7 to 2.4 kg. Like many other animals’ platypus species also shows polygynous mating. That many females are available for one male. In this type, the males are larger than females that are 50 cm is the total length of the males, while 43 cm is the total length of females.

Flatfoot does not follow any particular climatic rule and may die due to other environmental factors and human interference. The average body temperature is around 32^o C which is lower than the typical placental mammals; this temperature can vary plus-minus 5^o C while living in the water.

Electrolocation In Platypus

Monotremes are the only mammals showing electroreception. Electroreception is used in electrolocation for detection and electrocommunication. Electrolocation is the biological ability to perceive natural electrical stimuli. These are the only creatures I have ever heard who can sense the small electric field produced by their prey during muscle contraction.

They locate their prey by detecting electric fields generated by muscular contraction. Electroporation of the Platypus is most sensitive among any monotreme. Electroreceptors play a major role in sensing the direction of electric sources by comparing differences in signal strength. And this would explain the feature of the side-to-side movement of the animal while hunting.

The difference between the arrival times of two signals is used to sense the distance by Platypus. It spends most of its life alone, sleeping and eating. As a semiaquatic creature, it can live in water and on land. Platypus can feed by neither sight nor smell. It closes its eyes, ears, and toes while diving.      

The electroreceptors of the Platypus are so sensitive. That they can detect the small fraction of electric current generated by their prey help them in distinguishing animate and inanimate objects. Platypus glows bluish-green color while exposed to the blacklight, which is due to the biofluorescence fur on the body surface.  

Venom of Platypus

Among various features of the Platypus, excreting venom is also a less known feature. It is one of the few species of venomous mammal. Among both the sexes, females do not produce any kind of venom; only males produce venom. In fact, a male flatfoot has a spur on its hind foot that delivers venom, capable of causing severe damage to the human.

While both the male and female platypus has ankle spur but only spur on the male ankle delivers venom. This venom is largely composed of defensin-like protein (DLPs) produced by the immune system of Platypus. Generally, defensin cause lysis in pathogenic bacteria and viruses but in Platypus, they secret out like venom.

DLPs are capable enough to cause the death of small animals like dogs, cats, etc., and are not lethal to humans. But cause severe edema, which rapidly spreads over the area and causes severe impairment.     

Ecological Distribution, predators and Behavior of the Platypus  

Ecologically flatfoot is distributed in Australia, and these semiaquatic animals live in small streams and rivers over an extensive range from the cold highlands of Tasmania and Australia alps to the tropical rainforest of coastal Queensland. The maturity level gain at the second year of the age, and hence mortality rate for adult platypus is low.

Excessive Predation is one of the basic reasons for decreasing species density. Snakes, eagles, water rats, hawks, and owls are the predators of the Platypus. A low number of Platypus in northern Australia are due to Predation by crocodiles.

 Platypus shows nocturnal and crepuscular behavior. Nocturnal is the animal behavior in which animals are active during the night while sleeping during the day opposite of normal biological clock. While crepuscular animal remains active neither at night nor at day but at twilight. That is active during the day but when the sky is overcast.

These are excellent swimmers hence spend most of the time in the water for searching food. Platypus is an endothermic animal that can maintain its body temperature at about 32^o C and sleep around 13-15 hours.

Diet of the Platypus

This hardcore carnivore animal especially feeds on annelids, worms, freshwater shrimps, insects, larvae, and crayfish. The chick pouch is basically used to store the collected food and eat it once brought on the surface.

As an endothermic animal, it needs more food to generate heat and energy. Platypus needs to eat 20% of its own weight every day to regulate its daily activity. It needs 12-13 hours approx for searching it.

How Do Platypus Reproduce

 These are the mammals like others and can lay eggs. Exhibits a single breeding season, and mating occurs between June and October. Man can mate with many females as it shows polygynous mating behavior. Females get mature very early; at the age of their second year, they become sexually compatible.

Males do not care for offspring while females do all the necessary chores for parental care. All the Platypus live in a shallow ground burrow except for mating season. On the other hand, after mating, females build a deeper burrow and protect their babies in it away from predators and the external environment.

There is no specific term for platypus baby, but we can call them Platypus unofficially. Female Platypus has pair of ovaries, but only one is functional. They lay one to three small eggs about 1 mm in diameter. Platypus newly hatched one is blind, hairless, and fed by mothers’ milk. The interesting fact about female Platypus is that despite the presence of mammary glands, the milk is secreted through the skin’s pores because she does not have teats.

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