Platypus proves even odder than scientists thought

Platypus proves even odder than scientists thought

www.guardian.co.uk

At first dismissed as a prank, and later cited as proof that God has a sense of humour, the duck-billed platypus has finally given up its evolutionary secrets.

The creature, considered one of the strangest mammals in the world, has become the latest to have its genetic code sequenced, revealing it to be a bizarre mix of mammal, bird and reptile, with very complex sexuality. While humans have two sex chromosomes, the X and Y, the platypus has 10, with five of each kind.

(visit the link for the full news article)

What the heck is this thing? We have all heard about them since we were little kids but now they have finally had their genome sequenced.

From what I have read to me this thing sounds like somekind of engineered hybrid not a missing link. Now the question is who could of engineered it?

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 8/5/08 by MikeboydUS]

I was reading this on a couple of different sites this morning...Crazy! The thing is part mammal, part avian, and part reptile! It's like a weird scientific cloning experiment of various creatures put together in one!

They are also highly dangerous--The barbs on their back feet contain a highly dangerous venom.

reply to post by MikeboydUS


It might sound like it, but it most certainly isn't. It's just one branch of a dwindling line of mammals that has been around for millions of years. It's so different because it lives on a remote island (Australia), in particularly harsh conditions.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


It's entirely mammal. Convergant evolution causes these common features to develop in different animals. Plus, its bill is not like that of a duck at all, apart from its appearance (which is only a tiny portion of its capability).

Plus, the venom is painful, but incapable of killing a person. It's only dangerous to smaller animals, and other platypuses.

reply to post by dave420


I'm not so sure of that--I read a story on a news site just a few months ago where a person got stung by one, and was essentially PARALYZED for several hours...These are definitely creatures to respect.

Originally posted by dave420
It's entirely mammal. Convergant evolution causes these common features to develop in different animals. Plus, its bill is not like that of a duck at all, apart from its appearance (which is only a tiny portion of its capability).

Actually that's not what I got from the article. Sounds like it's a weird chimaera of sorts. It has clear indicators of a mix of mammalian, avian and reptile DNA. That doesn't sound like something "entirely mammal" to me.

Plus, the venom is painful, but incapable of killing a person. It's only dangerous to smaller animals, and other platypuses.

I've heard this, but I've heard of people being in serious trouble after a platypus "sting". I'm guessing in the more severe cases there may be an allergy involved making the venom's effect much worse.

They are cute little buggers though.

My (conspiracy) theory on the platypus is this: what if it is an example of "terraforming" being done to the earth by an alien race to begin the process of making earth more habitable to the aliens? And what other strange species that keep getting discovered are part of the same project?

Originally posted by dave420
reply to post by MikeboydUS

 

It might sound like it, but it most certainly isn't. It's just one branch of a dwindling line of mammals that has been around for millions of years. It's so different because it lives on a remote island (Australia), in particularly harsh conditions.

Nice bed time story, Duck-billed platypus had a South American cousin

(fixed link)

[edit on 9-5-2008 by Jbird]

I knew these animals were no good! What kind of self-respecting mammal goes around with a duck-bill and leg-fangs?!

I will be keeping my eye on them...

Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
They are also highly dangerous--The barbs on their back feet contain a highly dangerous venom.

That's always been the strangest thing about this creature to me. While not lethal (I believe), it really packs a wallop!!!

Peace

[edit on 8-5-2008 by Dr Love]

reply to post by Howie47


That link doesn't work.
Here's this one;
Duck-billed platypus in South America.

Notice that there isn't much difference in the two.
Maybe a bit like the tortoises?
My, how things change around in evolutionary 'science'.

reply to post by Dr Love

That's always been the strangest thing about this creature to me. While not lethal (I believe), it really pack a wallop!!!

They are indeed strange. The reptilian features fascinate me. They lay eggs with reptilian features, their rear legs are reptile like in the way they articulate on the sides. Their body temperatures are 10 degrees lower than most other mamals!

This study presumably found sequences of genes found only in reptiles.

reply to post by Howie47


Here's the link to your story.

/4jaasy

so odd mike patton (famous for being second singer for faith no more) with his first band did a tribute to the animal behold Mr. Bungles "platypus"
you tube link


[edit on 9-5-2008 by 911fnord]

[edit on 9-5-2008 by 911fnord]

[edit on 9-5-2008 by 911fnord]

Another article from NewScientist which refutes dave420s Darwinist fairy tale...

Duck-billed platypus had a South American cousin

* 24 August 1991
* From New Scientist
* TIM THWAITES , MELBOURNE

Egg-laying mammals once lived in South America. A tooth from an ancient platypus unearthed in Patagonia by a team of Argentinian palaeontologists is the first evidence of a monotreme living outside Australia and New Guinea. The discovery supports the theory that Australia and South America once shared a fauna which included marsupials and monotremes.

The palaeontologists uncovered the upper right molar on the coast of central Patagonia, about 850 kilometres southwest of Buenos Aires. They reported their find at a recent symposium on egg-laying mammals held in Sydney.

NewScientist