- Description
- Additional information
Description
Platypus Skull Replica measures 4.1 inches. Platypus Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane resin cast. Made in USA. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home decor skull, or office decor skull. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw).
The Duck billed platypus or Ornithorhynchus anatinus, sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The Duck billed platypus or Ornithorhynchus anatinus is the sole living representative of its family Ornithorhynchidae and genus Ornithorhynchus, though a number of related species appear in the fossil record.
Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Like other monotremes, it senses prey through electrolocation.
The Duck billed platypus or or Ornithorhynchus anatinus is one of the few species of venomous mammals, as the male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers a venom capable of causing severe pain to humans.
The unusual appearance of this egg-laying, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal baffled European naturalists when they first encountered it, and the first scientists to examine a preserved platypus body in 1799 judged it a fake, made of several animals sewn together.
The unique features of the duck billed platypus or Ornithorhynchus anatinus make it an important subject in the study of evolutionary biology, and a recognisable and iconic symbol of Australia.
It has appeared as a mascot at national events and features on the reverse of the Australian twenty-cent coin, and the platypus is the animal emblem of the state of New South Wales.
Until the early 20th century humans hunted the duck billed platypus or Ornithorhynchus anatinus for its fur, but it is now protected throughout its range. Although captive-breeding programs have had only limited success, and the platypus is vulnerable to the effects of pollution, it is not under any immediate threat.
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Additional information
| Weight | 3 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 4.1 in |
| Platypus Facts | Scientific classification |
