INTRODUCTION MEET THE PLATYPUS With a splash a platypus dives into a river at night It glides through the dark water waving its bill from side to side in search of food For a long time the platypus puzzled scientists What kind of animal was it After years of study scientists learned the answer The platypus belongs to a group of animals called mammals Other animal groups include insects fish amphibians reptiles and birds For many years scientists were unsure whether the platypus fit into the mammal group
All mammals share certain traits Mammals are vertebrates animals with backbones They are warm blooded They have hair or fur on their bodies Female mammals make milk for their babies Platypuses have these traits But they also have traits that make them unique Platypuses can easily swim through dark water
CHAPTER 1 WHAT DO PLATYPUSES LOOK LIKE Platypuses love to dive and swim Their flattened heads and webbed feet help them glide through water Claws on platypuses feet help them run on land Thick waterproof fur keeps platypuses warm and dry Platypuses have broad flat tails They use their tails for diving and steering underwater The tail is also where the platypus stores its body fat Platypuses use the stored fat for energy when food is scarce The flat tail of a platypus helps the mammal store energy and steer itself
Male platypuses use venom filled spurs to defend themselves from other animals The most unusual feature of a platypus is its bill The black bill is soft and rubbery Male platypuses have another odd feature pointy spurs on their back ankles Each spur is filled with venom The male platypus defends itself with the spurs jabbing predators and fighting other males during mating season Bills and spurs are both rare among mammals DID YOU KNOW From the tip of its bill to the end of its tail a platypus measures about 15 to 23 inches 38 to 60 centimeters long It weighs between 1.5 and 5 pounds 0.7 to 3 kilograms
