IntheSwim
Shapedkindoflikeafurryfootball,theplatypusisaskilledswimmer.Itsshapehelpsitdivedeepandslicethroughthewaterquickly,insearchofshellfish,worms,andsmall insects.
Aplatypusispoweredbyrapidpaddling,usingitsfrontwebbedfeet.Thebackfeet areused,alongwiththeflat,beaver-liketail,forsteeringandbraking.Thecombinationofbodyshape,webbedfeet,slickfur,andflattailallowthepudgyplatypustomovegracefully underwater.
Theplatypusmayfeelmostathomeinthe water.
Thisplatypus'sbigwebbedfeethelppropelitthroughthe water.
Theplatypus’sversatilefeethelpitbothonlandandin water.
front foot
TransformerToes
Thefrontfeetofaplatypusarebuiltforbothwaterandland.Inthewater,extraskinbetweenthesharp-clawedtoesstretchesouttocreateabroadpaddle.Theextrasurfaceareagivestheanimalapowerfulpushinthe water.
Onland,thefeettransform.Thewebbingisretracted.Thesharptoesstretchbeyondtheskin.Thisallowstheplatypustowalkonlandanddigitsclawsinto dirt.
Thebackfeetarenotconvertiblelikethefrontones,buttheyareremarkable.Theyhavewebbingthatallowstheplatypustosteerandbrakeinthewater.Onland,theyusetheirbacktoesandclawsfor grooming.
Maleplatypuseshaveanextrasurpriseintheirbackfeet.Hollowheelspikesareloadedwithapainfulvenom!Theyusethesepoisonousweaponswhenfightingforfemalesandforterritory.Thoughnotdeadly,thevenomcancausetheunluckyrecipientwickedpainandswelling
for weeks.
Maleplatypuseshavehollowspikesontheirbackheels.Theyarefilledwithvenom.Themalesfighteachotheroverfemalesand territory.
Theplatypus’stailhelpsitswim.Italsostores fat.
TaleofaTail
Thoughitlookslikeabeavertail,aplatypustailisnotusedforpaddlingorcommunication.Theflattailisreallyabodyfatstoragetank.Whenfoodishardtocomeby,thefattytail,whichcanholdalmosthalfoftheanimal’sbodyfat,canbea lifesaver.
NowSeeThis
Aplatypus’seyesareloadedwithextracolorreceptors.Yet,itdoesnotuseitseyesforhunting.Thesereceptorsareneededatthewater’ssurfaceoronlandtobetterspot predators.
Whenitdivesdeep,itclosesitseyestightly.Thefuronitseyelidsismuchlighterthanthebrownfurcoveringtherestofitsbody.Thisgivestheappearancethatitseyesglowinthe dark!
Withsensitiveduck‑billedschnozzes,retractabletoewebbing,andpoisonousheelspikes,theplatypushasmanyadaptationsthathavebeenshapedovermillionsofyears.Thoughthesetraitsmayseemlikeanoddcombinationtous,thismishmashmammalisasurvival
success story.
Lighterfuronitseyelidsmakethisplatypus’seyesseemtoglowwhenclosed underwater.