Platypus

[Theresa Wiegert]

Jørgen Andreas Bangor wrote:

> I'm surprised that
> noone has mentioned the one mammal having beak and laying eggs.

Bubutbut - that's not a mammal, is it? (googling for a while)
Hm, Now I'm confused. I always thought the the platypus was considered
neither mammal not 'egg-animal', because it has the characteristics of
both - laying eggs and giving nurture from the body (breastfeeding)

Ah, here is the word I'm searching for (kloakdjur in swedish):
monotremata, "means one hole, a reference to the single anal opening
(cloaca) which these mammals share with reptiles, amphibians, and fishes."
And BIRDS! pah...

Anyway, there are only two of them, both in australia - the Platypus and
the Echidna. But...
Ah, if anyone is interested, look here! very good page:
http://www.geobop.com/Mammals/Monotremata/

So, you were right - they are, possibly questionably, classified as one
kind of mammal.

/T, doing research on the wrong stuff now, should work on my thesis
instead!