Study says platypuses are part mammal, reptile and bird
Recommended for Secondary Grades
We have read about platypuses before. These strange animals, found in Australia, are mammals that lay eggs. Other mammals give birth to babies and feed their young ones on milk from their own bodies.
The platypus is famous for its unique appearance – duck-like bill, a beaver-like tail and webbed feet. Its fur also glows in the dark.
Recently, scientists released the first complete map of a platypus genome.
What is a genome?
Genome is the complete set of genes in a cell or living thing.
What is a gene?
A gene is a unit of information inside a cell which controls what a living thing will be like.
The study shows that platypuses’ genes are a mixture of mammals, birds and reptiles. They have also still kept many of their ancestors’ original features which help in adapting to the environment they live in.
For example, the platypuses’ sex chromosomes have more in common with birds like chickens than mammals such as humans. However, they also feed milk to their young and their milk is not unlike what comes from a cow.
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