### animal | vertebrate | mammal | monotreme:

Platypus
* Most platypuses adapt to water
  - belong to families
  - build burrows
  - come from streams
* Most platypuses construct burrows
  - nest burrows
  - eat grubs
  - excrete urine
* Most platypuses feed on carnivorous diets
  - find food
* Most platypuses have average weight
  - bills
  - blood
  - body temperature
  - defense
  - expression patterns
  - eyes
  - feet
  - intestines
  - legs
* Most platypuses have lower average weight
  - mammalian characteristics
  - molar teeth
* Most platypuses have same expression patterns
  - similarity
  - spines
  - toes
  - inhabit small streams
  - leave burrows
* Most platypuses live for years
  - in climates
  - look for food
* Most platypuses reach maturity
  - reproductive maturity
  - sexual maturity
* Most platypuses require adequate surface water
  - search for food
* Most platypuses survive to adulthood
* Most platypuses use burrows
  - hind legs
  - sensitive snouts
  - tails
* Some platypuses consume small vertebrates
  - detect prey
  - drink milk
* Some platypuses eat insect larvae
  - tadpoles
  - feed on milk
  - find mates
* Some platypuses have difficulty
  - grooves
  - identical karyotypes
  - levels
  - life stages
  - milk proteins
  - molars
  - ovaries
  - regions
  - scars
  - vaginas
  - hide in crevices
* Some platypuses lose heat
* Some platypuses occupy burrows
  - several different burrows
  - prefer banks
* Some platypuses remain in burrows
  - stay in burrows
  - use energy
  - utilize pouches
* also make their home in or around streams and rivers.
* are active all year round, but mostly during twilight and in the night
  - also susceptible to habitat destruction, but that is at a minimum
  - among the few venomous mammals
  - dark brown on their backs and generally light brown on their bellies
  - difficult to see in the wild
  - excellent diggers
  - fairly plentiful in their somewhat limited area
  - found in slow-flowing streams, rivers and in lakes and dams
  - hard to care for in zoos
  - harder to find
  - in a family of animals called monotremes
  - indigenous to freshwater rivers and lakes in eastern Australia and Tasmania
* are most active at night and spend the days resting in their burrows
  - for several hours after dusk and before dawn
  - multicellular
* are one of only two mammal species that lay eggs
  - the unique animal and are protected by law
* are semi aquatic mammals and are included as one of the extant species of monotremes
  - aquatic, nocturnal animals
  - unique mammals
* automatically close their eyes and ears in water.
* belong to a group of animals called monotremes
* can be big or small
  - become entangled in discarded litter, fishing line, and mesh netting
* close nostrils.
* detect movement.
* drink water.Baby platypuses drink mothers' milk, just as all baby mammals do.
  - insect larvae, shrimps and worms
  - only in the water
* generally builds two kinds of burrows in the banks of streams and ponds.
* give birth by laying eggs.
* has a broad and flat body
  - foot at the sides of their body rather than underneath so they walk like reptiles
* has the flat furry tail which stores fat for long cold winter in freezing waters
  - most sensitive electro receptive of any monotremes
* have a tail shaped like that of a beaver, and webbed fore- and hindfeet
  - three different coats, and their fur brown color
  - keen sight and hearing on dry land
* hunt for food.
* includes brains
  - breasts
  - cell membranes
  - cells
  - chest cavities
  - chests
  - corpi
  - cytoplasm
  - faces
  - heads
  - pedal extremities
  - piluses
  - plasma membranes
  - sections
  - skulls
  - sterna
  - vertebrate feet
* is endemic to Australia and is dependent on rivers, streams and bodies of freshwater
  - found in both agricultural and urban areas
  - shy animal and is mainly active before dawn and after dusk
  - well adapted for semi-aquatic lifestyle
* live in burrows and spend a lot of their time in freshwater ponds and streams
  - much of their time in freshwater ponds and streams
  - that they dig on the banks of fresh water rivers, lakes or streams
  - northern Australia and Echidnas live in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea
* look like creatures
  - other creatures
* possess coats
* prefer their burrows to be overhung by vegetation which helps hide it from predators.
* share burrows.
* show much resemblance
* shows no signs of evolution.
* spend most of their time alone, sleeping or eating.
* store food.
* tend to hunt at night, but have been seen at daytime.
* to search for food.
  - their nails and feet to construct dirt burrows at the water's edge
* usually digs two types of burrows.
+ Platypus, What sort of animal is it?: Monotremes :: Living fossils
  * The platypus looks similar to a beaver with a brown, furry body and wide, flat tail. Its nose is large and rubbery. Platypuses can be big or small. The larger platypus live in Tasmania while the smaller ones live in Queensland. Adults can be less than  or up to. Its body can be from  to  long. Its tail can be from  to  long
  - Where platypus live
  * Platypus are difficult to see in the wild. They dislike areas with people, spend most of their time underground or under water, and sleep during the day. At Eungella National Park in Queensland, there are spots on the river with viewing areas where wild platypus can usually be seen each evening