# Platypus



## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Does anyone know any good books or websites on the evolution of the platypus that do not go on about creationism bull:censor:. 

I'm doing an assignment on its evolution but not sure what to write about how environmental changes have affected it (and its ancestors) to cause it to have the adaptations it has nowadays. I've covered speciation as it's an island specie but clueless now!


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## missk (Jan 14, 2008)

I know that they used to have teeth and dont anymore!

find out about the oldest fossil platypus and make a list of adaptations (i.e. changes to morphology since then) and try to think why, so with teeth, it wouls be change in diet/specialisaton for hunting for soft-bodied foods etc. 

I know wikipedia itself is unreliable, but if you go to the references at the end of the page for the platypus, there may be some useful publications. If you get those publications, they will have others listed in their references and so on... 

good luck!


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

missk said:


> I know that they used to have teeth and dont anymore!
> 
> find out about the oldest fossil platypus and make a list of adaptations (i.e. changes to morphology since then) and try to think why, so with teeth, it would be change in diet/specialisaton for hunting for soft-bodied foods etc.
> 
> ...



:2thumb: Seems so obvious. Thanks!

Shame there isn't too much information on them overall mind. Monotremes are so unique that I'm surprised not more effort has gone into their study.


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## missk (Jan 14, 2008)

the real research will be in the journals, which unless your college/uni subscribes to them it's hard to get hold of. Try a day-trip to the British Library! I can remember drawing their pickled reproductive tract in an evolutionary body form class at uni. Grim!


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## boa (Mar 11, 2007)

You could try this site.

Platypus Care - A Program of the Australian Platypus Conservancy


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

boa said:


> You could try this site.
> 
> Platypus Care - A Program of the Australian Platypus Conservancy


Gold dust.


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## Mujician (Mar 7, 2007)

Good luck with your project, just remember that not only will you be marked on the content, but the grammar and spelling too. 'Specie' isnt a word. The correct word is species. It is bothe the same word for the singular and plural, just like sheep, or fish  Hope that helps a little


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

I know.


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## Doogerie (Jul 6, 2007)

have you talked about it's classification as a mammal because that a big bit of it's history


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

As far as I was aware the Platypus hasn’t evolved, that’s the whole point about them, they are a primitive mammal that has hardly changed since they first evolved from their reptilian ancestors.
Try putting "Monotremes" into google and you should get the info on them you need.

Natrix


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

Everything evolves from something.  It's just a matter of if we know the archaeological records.


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## lee young (Oct 14, 2009)

Cranwelli said:


> Everything evolves from something.  It's just a matter of if we know the archaeological records.


Whilst that is true, its not strictly accurate. Everything is constantly evolving, but at different speeds. Some animals evolve remarkably quickly, with substatial changes even from generation to generation, whilst some have barely evolved at all for hundreds of thousands of years, a good example of which is the platypus.


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## Matt Harris (Aug 21, 2007)

This is all you need to know

He's a semi-aquatic egg layin mammal of actionnnnnn,
He's the furry little flat foot who never flinched from a fray,
He's got more than just mad skill,
He's got a beavers tail and bill,
And the women swoon whenever they hear him say.
*platypus sound*,
He's Perry,
Perry the Platypus!!


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## missk (Jan 14, 2008)

lee young said:


> Whilst that is true, its not strictly accurate. Everything is constantly evolving, but at different speeds. Some animals evolve remarkably quickly, with substatial changes even from generation to generation, whilst some have barely evolved at all for hundreds of thousands of years, a good example of which is the platypus.


nothing in what you wrote here contradicts the statement you quoted...


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