The platypus has a very unique appearance, with a duck-billed
nose, beaver-like-tail and otter type feet. Size: -Males: 45-60 cm (all together), with a bill length of 4.9-7.0 cm, and a tail length of 10.5-15.2 cm. WEIGHT: 1.0-2.4 kg -Females: 39-55 cm (all together), with a bill length of 4.5-5.9 cm, and a tail length of 8.5-13 cm. WEIGHT: 0.7-1.6 kg Symmetry: Bilateral symmetry (line of symmetry runs down the sagittal plane). Color: -Dark brown fur on most of the body, with a grey undercoat. The underside color is gold or a silky grey. Feet are dark brown or black, and bill is slate grey. Skin: -Highly insulated, to keep platypus warm. Eyes and Ears: -To be able to stay underwater for a few minutes, folds of skin cover the eyes and ears to prevent water from entering them. Instead of using their eyes to find prey, they use sensitive receptors on their beaks to detect electrical pulses. -Very good eyesight and hearing, with a hearing range similar to humans, however, they can hear lower frequencies than humans. Nostrils: -When underwater, nostrils close with watertight seal to prevent water from entering them. -Not little is known about how well a platypus can smell, because they don't find prey using the sense of smell. However, most mammals have a keen sense of smell, so most likely, the platypus has a good sense of smell. |