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platypus
platypus
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baby platypuses Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus).
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Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) in a zoo, Australia. (marsupial, koala bear)
Animals Down Under
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Humpback whale breaching out of the ocean. (sea mammal; ocean mammal)
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Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) swimming on the surface of a creek. Water Australia mammal monotreme
The Weirdest Animals in the World Quiz
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The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)
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monotreme
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Also known as: Ornithorhynchus anatinus, duck-billed platypus, duckbill, duckbilled platypus
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platypus
platypus
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Category: Animals & Nature
Also called:
duckbill
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monotreme
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Recent News

Mar. 7, 2024, 12:16 AM ET (Yahoo News)
'Cruel' household item found wrapped around platypus' neck
Feb. 16, 2024, 3:16 AM ET (The Guardian)
Oldest platypus found in the wild is ‘beyond all our expectations’, say researchers

platypus, (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), a small amphibious Australian mammal noted for its odd combination of primitive features and special adaptations, especially the flat, almost comical bill that early observers thought was that of a duck sewn onto the body of a mammal. Adding to its distinctive appearance are conspicuous white patches of fur under the eyes. The fur on the rest of the body is dark to light brown above, with lighter fur on the underside. The platypus is common in waterways of eastern Australia, where it generally feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates but also takes an occasional frog, fish, or insect ...(100 of 1227 words)

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