Discover more about the egg-laying monotremes of Oceania and the ancient traits they still carry.

Only male platypuses have venomous spurs. The amount of venom a male platypus produces also increases during breeding season, so scientists believe it is used as a weapon against rival males.

The platypus produces a powerful venom during breeding season, which is used in competition among males for females. "We've discovered conflicting functions of GLP-1 in the platypus: in the gut as a ...

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - From high altitudes to tropical rainforests, platypuses are native to Eastern Australia. When it was first scientifically described in 1799, it was laughed at and checked for ...

Male platypuses have sharp spurs on their back legs shaped like a canine tooth. These hollow spurs measure 0.59 to 0.71 inches long and connect to crural glands in the animal’s upper thighs. These ...