Origin
The platypus was first encountered by Europeans in 1798. When they sent sketches back of the animal to Great Britain, everyone thought it was a hoax because of the strange attributes. George Shaw was the first person to make a description of the animal, and at first thought that someone had actually sewn a duck bill to a beaver like animal. He even checked for stiches on the animal. The platypus was originally named Ornithorhyncus paradoxus by Johann Blumenbach in 1800, but now it is recognized as Ornithorhyncus anatinus. The name "platypus" comes from the Greek word "platupous" which means flat footed. When the platypus was first discovered, British settlers called it names including the "watermole", the "duckbill", and the "duckmole."
The platypus was first encountered by Europeans in 1798. When they sent sketches back of the animal to Great Britain, everyone thought it was a hoax because of the strange attributes. George Shaw was the first person to make a description of the animal, and at first thought that someone had actually sewn a duck bill to a beaver like animal. He even checked for stiches on the animal. The platypus was originally named Ornithorhyncus paradoxus by Johann Blumenbach in 1800, but now it is recognized as Ornithorhyncus anatinus. The name "platypus" comes from the Greek word "platupous" which means flat footed. When the platypus was first discovered, British settlers called it names including the "watermole", the "duckbill", and the "duckmole."