male platypuses are surprisingly venomous! The platypus is found only in Australia, where it spends most of its life swimming in freshwater ponds and streams. Its incredibly sensitive bird-like ...

The platypus has a range of features that make it quite unlike any other animal. With a large bill, a paddle-like tail, webbed feet and a furry body, this funny-looking animal produces venom that ...

No, it does not, and here's why: It turns out that venomous snakes and the platypus have different duplications of the b-defensin genes. So, while co-opting these genes seems to be a common ...

The platypus is a venomous mammal that lays eggs, can sense electricity, and has 10 sex chromosomes. The tuatara is a reptile from a lineage that evolved before most dinosaurs (and all lizards).

The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) has a puzzling array of features. Not only does it have that iconic duck bill, it lays eggs like a bird or reptile but feeds milk to its young like a mammal.

However, the specialized cells on the platypus’s bill allow it to pick up electric pulses. This sixth sense in the platypus is called electrolocation and it’s a highly effective method of hunting.

Renowned for its bill, webbed feet and venomous spurs, the platypus is one of only two egg-laying mammals in the world.