DOCSLIB.ORG

Platypus and Echidnas

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Platypus and Echidnas BOOK REVIEWS 163 in conservation is not disputed, but the book calls for Other sectians caver networks af indigenous peaple, a change in the way scientists participate in conserva­ mining and environmental consultants, agencies, tion issues. The missing link between government local cammunities and canservatian education. A policies and public awareness is the scientist; scientists recurrent theme is ways in which the empower­ therefore need to establish this essential link so that ment af all stakehalders will ensure effective canserva­ information flows freely. To achieve this, scientists tian and the papers affer a wide range of approaches must become actively involved in social and political to' achieving this gaal. Several papers alsO' illustrate arenas and become more articulate in communicating ways in which cammunities can be encouraged their research. This is not the first book to express this, to' accept respansibility for canservatian, such as but perhaps the first book to synthesize a large number Williams' paper (chapter 36) an the use of flagship of case studies and models. that provide examples on species. how this can be achieved. Despite the large contingent af papers by Australian The development and maintenance of networks is authars, the informatian cantained in this book has addressed in 13 papers, many of which deal with worldwide applicatian. Natably lacking, however, are important social considerations. Probably one of the papers dealing with marine canservatian. This area af most interesting and innovative papers in this section canservation typically lacks public support due to the is that by Schultz (chapter 22) on language and lack of public awareness, nat anly af the diversity af the natural environment. He illustrates how our marine life, but af the current threats to' its integrity. economically-derived cammercial usage of language is Establishing and maintaining networks for marine can­ aften biased tawards exploitatian af natural resaurces. servation requires different strategies than thase far Schultz shaws how rectificatian af aur choice af terms terrestrial environments. would cansiderably improve public perceptian of the cansequences of many land management practices. As with ather valumes III the series, the baok is Another sectian deals with landcare groups and property extremely well indexed. It provides an' excellent awner networks, which are an increasing force in the campilatian of a tapical issue in nature canservation canservation mavement in agricultural areas. It is and while it is essentially a book written by scientists encouraging to' see that ane paper is written by a land­ for scientists, it shauld have a large audience. The holder, giving a rare insight intO' the view of canservatian challenge, hawever, is for the recammendations put networks and their abjectives as seen from a nan­ forward in the baak to be implemented by scientists scientific perspective. invalved in conservation. Platypus and Echidnas Edited by M. L. Augee, 1992 Ornithorhynchus anatinus, far which mast informatian Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, MDsman. is available. Published by Backhuys, The Netherlands. The papers in this baok provide many valuable ISBN 0959995161. comparisons. These include: camparisons between Price Dn applicatiDn. mammalian groups (manatremes, eutherians and marsupials) which provide insights intO' mammalian DARREN G. QUINI origins: comparisan between manotreme species; and comparisons between manotremes, birds and reptiles, PLATYPUS and Echidnas presents the proceedings where for example, similarities and difference in repra­ of a canference held at the University of New Sauth ductive patterns have been established. Intraspecies Wales in July 1991. Platypus and Echidnas incarparates camparisans af individuals inhabiting sometimes vastly an extensive information source obtained from studies different environments, and subsequently experiencing undertaken since the first symposium on "Manatreme different climates, demonstrate the adaptability and Bialagy" in 1978, while highlighting deficiencies in aur broad climatic tolerance af echidnas. knawledge, and subsequently suggests further avenues far research. The theme af evalution re-accurs through­ The publication is arranged intO' six sections: Evolution; (Jut the publication and the studies demonstrate how The Meiotic Chain; Reproduction; Physialagy; the patterns of mammalian phylageny may be derived from Brain and EJectroreceptian; and Field and Populatian variaus sources including palaeantalogy, gene Studies. The first af these deals with monotreme mapping, DNA hybridization, repraductive physialogy evolutian from the fields af palaeontology, genetic and endocrinology. Interest in this publicatian will bialagy and endacrinology. The first two papers extend to: (i) scholars of phylogeny and evolutian introduce fassil forms af platypuses; Monotrematum of especially part 1); (ii) comparative physiolagist, Sauth America, and Obdurodon from the Riversleigh physiolQgical ecolagists and anatamists (parts 1, 3, 4 area af Australia. Monotrematum represents the first­ and 5); (iii) ecalogists and sacia-ecalagists (parts 3, 5 discavered nan-Australian manotreme. The debate and 6); (iv) natural historians; (v) keepers af captive abaut monotreme origins is reviewed using current wildlife colonies (parts 3 and 6); (vi) wildlife veterinary evidence from each of the above fields. After all, surgwns (part 6); and (vii) wildlife managers (especially knawledge of mammalian origins is dependent upon part 6). The book deals primarily with the short-beaked understanding the egg-laying branch of the mammalian echidna Tachyglo$sus aculeatus and the platypus phylogenetic tree. Although the papers under this 'Department of Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia 2351. 164 PACIFIC CONSERVATION BIOLOGY section provide useful insights into mammalian evolution, and dispersal of platypuses in the Shoalhaven River; they also highlight how little we know about monotreme movements and burrow-use of platypuses in the Thredbo origins. River; evidence for Aboriginal exploitation of the platypus in southern Tasmania during the late Pleistocene; Two papers follow under section 2, "The Meiotic and the results of preliminary molecular studies of Chain". These discuss the evolution of the monotreme individual relatedness and mating system in platypus sex determination system, and comparisons are made populations. The final paper on the role of infectious between monotremes and eutherians, and between diseases in the popUlation biology of monotremes, monotremes and marsupials. catalogues the known diseases of this group, and The section on "Reproduction" covers laboratory highlights the potentially adverse impacts of European and field investigations into hormone concentrations in settlement, via exchange of diseases/parasites/viruses captive and free-living platypuses, aspects of lactation between monotremes and cattle, cats, foxes and dogs. and sex ratios in free-living platypuses, courtship Indirect evidence is presented which suggests that cattle behaviour of captive platypuses at Taronga Zoo and and platypuses may be exchanging Leptospirosis hardjo the structure and function of the male reproductive (a helical bacteria which may cause infertility, abortion system of echidnas. Field studies into the energetic and anaemia among other malfunctions) in cattle grazing costs of lactation in free-ranging echidnas, reproduction riverbank pasture at the Shoalhaven River. This point in echidnas at high altitudes (> 1 000 m) including areas will be of interest to forest ecologists, given the debate above the winter snow line (1 750 m), and aspects of concerning the detrimental impacts of intensive grazing reproduction in echidnas on Kangaroo Island, (and frequent grazier burning) on biodiversity in State demonstrate the value of radiotelemetry and isotopes forests of northeastern New South Wales. This paper serves as a warning to the effects of future land of research, and provide valuable information and degradation/clearing on monotreme populations. The comparisons of different populations. The study at high paper on the historical and current distribution of the altitudes demonstrates how temperature extremes can platypus provides a valuable reference source upon determine behavioural mechanisms which are aimed at which future monitoring of populations should be maintaining energy balance, and how climatic factors based, to guarantee its survival and to determine may influence life history traits. the impacts of landuse activities on the nationwide Section 4 presents a series of papers on monotreme persistence of this species. Generally, this section physiology, including adrenal functions of the platypus; provides useful information on monotreme home and ventilation, blood viscosity, blood gases and body range, movements, dispersal and habitat requirements, temperature in echidnas. Two papers, one investigating and presents interesting insights into monotreme metabolic rate and ventilation in captive echidnas population biology. Background information is presented during hibernation and arousal, and the second look at which can form the basis of management strategies for thermal relations of free-living echidnas during activity the conservation requirements of the monotremes. and hibernation in a cold climate, demonstrate how In brief, I recommend it as an extremely valuable hibernation in this species closely
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Oldest Platypus and Its Bearing on Divergence Timing of the Platypus and Echidna Clades
    The oldest platypus and its bearing on divergence timing of the platypus and echidna clades Timothy Rowe*†, Thomas H. Rich‡§, Patricia Vickers-Rich§, Mark Springer¶, and Michael O. Woodburneʈ *Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, C1100, Austin, TX 78712; ‡Museum Victoria, PO Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia; §School of Geosciences, PO Box 28E, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia; ¶Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521; and ʈDepartment of Geology, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 Edited by David B. Wake, University of California, Berkeley, CA, and approved October 31, 2007 (received for review July 7, 2007) Monotremes have left a poor fossil record, and paleontology has broadly affect our understanding of early mammalian history, been virtually mute during two decades of discussion about with special implications for molecular clock estimates of basal molecular clock estimates of the timing of divergence between the divergence times. platypus and echidna clades. We describe evidence from high- Monotremata today comprises five species that form two resolution x-ray computed tomography indicating that Teinolo- distinct clades (16). The echidna clade includes one short-beaked phos, an Early Cretaceous fossil from Australia’s Flat Rocks locality species (Tachyglossus aculeatus; Australia and surrounding is- (121–112.5 Ma), lies within the crown clade Monotremata, as a lands) and three long-beaked species (Zaglossus bruijni, Z. basal platypus. Strict molecular clock estimates of the divergence bartoni, and Z. attenboroughi, all from New Guinea). The between platypus and echidnas range from 17 to 80 Ma, but platypus clade includes only Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Austra- Teinolophos suggests that the two monotreme clades were al- lia, Tasmania).
    [Show full text]
  • SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tables, Figures and References
    Samuels, Regnault & Hutchinson, PeerJ Evolution of the patellar sesamoid bone in mammals SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tables, Figures and References Supplementary Table S1: Mammaliaform patellar status$ Inclusive clades Genus and Stratigraphic age of Patellar Comments# (partial) species (and taxon, and location(s) state reference(s) used for 0/1/2 patellar status) (absent/ ‘patelloid’/ present) Sinoconodonta Sinoconodon Jurassic, China 0 Patellar groove absent, suggests no rigneyi (Kielan- patella Jaworowska et al., 2004) Sinoconodon is included on our phylogeny within tritylodontids. Morganucodonta Megazostrodon Late Triassic, southern 0 rudnerae (Jenkins Africa & Parrington, 1976) Morganucodonta Eozostrodon sp. Late Triassic, Wales 0 Asymmetric patellar groove, (Jenkins et al., specimens disarticulated so it is hard 1976) to assess the patella but appears absent Docodonta Castorocauda 164 Mya, mid-Jurassic, 0 Semi-aquatic adaptations lutrasimilis (Ji et China al., 2006) Docodonta Agilodocodon 164 Mya, mid-Jurassic, 0 scansorius (Meng China et al., 2015) Docodonta Docofossor 160 Mya, China 0 brachydactylus (Luo et al., 2015b) Docodonta Haldanodon 150-155 Mya, Late 0 Shallow patellar groove exspectatus Jurassic, Portugal (Martin, 2005b) Australosphenida Asfaltomylos Mid-Jurassic, South ? Postcranial material absent patagonicus America (Martin, 2005a) Australosphenida Ornithorhynchus Extant 2 Platypus, genome sequenced Monotremata anatinus (Warren, Hillier, Marshall Graves et (Herzmark, 1938; al., 2008) Rowe, 1988) Australosphenida Tachyglossus
    [Show full text]
  • Constituents of Platypus and Echidna Milk, with Particular Reference to the Fatty Acid Complement of the Triglycerides
    Aust. J. Bioi. Sci., 1984, 37, 323-9 Constituents of Platypus and Echidna Milk, with Particular Reference to the Fatty Acid Complement of the Triglycerides Mervyn Grijfiths,A,B Brian Green,A R. M. C. Leckie,A Michael Messerc and K. W. NewgrainA A Division of Wildlife and Rangelands Research, CSIRO, P.O. Box 84, Lyneham, A.C.T. 2602. B Department of Physical Biochemistry, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 334, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601. cDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, N.S.W. 2006. Abstract The mature milk of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) exhibit 39· 1 gf 100 g solids, of which crude lipid accounts for 22·2% crude protein 8·2%, hexose 3·3% and sialic acid 0·43%; iron is in high concentration, 21·1 mgfl. Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) milk is more concentrated, containing 48·9% solids, with lipid. protein, hexose and sialic acid accounting for 31 ·0, 12·4, 1· 6 and O· 70% respectively; it is even richer in iron, 33·3 mgfl. The fatty acid complement of milk triglyceride from platypuses living in their natural habitat is different from that of the echidna living in the wild: platypus milk triglyceride contains 17·6% palmitic, 25 . 2% oleic and c. 30% long-chain polyunsaturated acids, whereas that of echidnas exhibits 15· 9% palmitic, 61 ·2% oleic and only c. 7% polyunsaturated acids. The fatty acid complement of echidna milk triglyceride can be changed by altering the fatty acid complement of the dietary lipid. Introduction Levels of the proximate constituents, i.e. total solids, crude lipid, crude protein, carbohydrates and minerals, were determined in samples of platypus and echidna milk.
    [Show full text]
  • Ornithorhynchus Anatinus): a BIBLIOGRAPHY
    TITLE: PLATYPUS (Ornithorhynchus anatinus): A BIBLIOGRAPHY AUTHOR & INSTITUTION: Kay A. Kenyon, Librarian National Zoological Park Branch Smithsonian Institution Libraries Washington, D.C. DATE: August 1988 LAST UPDATE: June 1995 The following references are arranged alphabetically by author: Anon. 1951. The platypus - a good try. Animal Kingdom, 54:172. Augee, M. 1976. Heat tolerance in monotremes. Journal of Thermal Biology 1:181-184. Augee, M.L., ed. 1992. Platypus and Echnidnas. Mosman, NSW, Australia: Royal Zoological Societ of New South Wales, 296pp. Baldwin, J. and M. Aleksiuk. 1973. Adaptation of enzymes to temperature: lactate and maleate dehydrogenases from platypus and echidna. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 44: 363-370. Bennet, G. 1835. Notes on the natural history and habits of the Ornithorhynchus paradoxus. Transactions. Zoological Society of London 1:229-258. Bick, Y. and W. Jackson. 1967. Karyotype of the monotreme Ornithorhynchus anatinus and Tachyglossus aculeatus. Nature, 214:600-601. Blair, J. 1952. More details on Cecil and Penelope. Animal Kingdom, 55: 23-25. ------. 1952. Our duckbills moult by "American time". Animal Kingdom, 55:163-164. Bohringer, R.C. 1981. Cutaneous receptors in the bill of the platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus. Australian Mammalogy, 4:93-106. ------ and M. Rowe. 1977. The organization of the sensory and motor areas of the cerebral cortex in the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Journal of Comparative Neurology, 174:1-14. Burrell, H. 1927. The Platypus, Sydney:Angus and Robertson, 226pp. Carrick, F. and R. Hughes. 1978. Reproduction in male monotremes. Australian Zoology, 20:211-232. ------, T. Grant and R. Williams. 1982. Platypus Ornithorynchus anatinus: its captive maintenance. In: D.
    [Show full text]
  • Brief Report Vol
    Brief report Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 113-1 18, Warszawa 2001 Monotreme nature of the Australian Early Cretaceous mammal Teinolophos THOMAS H. RICH, PATRICIA VICKERS-RICH, PETER TRUSLER, TIMOTHY F. FLANNERY, RICHARD CIFELLI, ANDREW CONSTANTINE, LESLEY KOOL, and NICHOLAS VAN KLAVEREN The morphology of the single preserved molar of the holotype of the Australian Early Creta- ceous (Aptian) mammal Teinolophos trusleri shows that it is a monotreme and probably a steropodontid, rather than a 'eupantothere' as originally proposed. The structure of the rear of the jaw of T. trusleri supports the molecular evidence that previously formed the sole basis for recognising the Steropodontidae as a distinct family. When the holotype of Teinolophos trusleri was first described from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Strzelecki Group of southern Victoria, Australia (Rich et al. 1999), it was regarded as a member of the Order Eupantotheria Kermack & Mussett, 1958 (= Legion Cladotheria McKenna, 1975 - Infralegion Tribosphenida McKenna, 1975) of uncertain family. This interpretation was based in large part on the inferred structure of the penultimate lower molar, the only tooth preserved on the se- verely crushed holotype. The crown of that tooth was largely obscured by a hard matrix. As a conse- quence of that, a critical misidentification of the cusp in the posterolingual region of the tooth as the metaconid rather than the hypoconulid was made. It was this erroneous interpretation and the conse- quent corollaries that the trigonid was anteroposteriorlyexpanded and the talonid unbasined that led Rich et al. (1999) to intepret the specimen as a 'eupantothere'. In September 1999, Mr. Charles Schaff of Harvard University successfully cleared the obscuring matrix from crown of the tooth (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammal Disparity Decreases During the Cretaceous Angiosperm Radiation
    Mammal disparity decreases during the Cretaceous angiosperm radiation David M. Grossnickle1 and P. David Polly2 1Department of Geological Sciences, and 2Departments of Geological Sciences, Biology, and Anthropology, rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA Fossil discoveries over the past 30 years have radically transformed tra- ditional views of Mesozoic mammal evolution. In addition, recent research provides a more detailed account of the Cretaceous diversification of flower- Research ing plants. Here, we examine patterns of morphological disparity and functional morphology associated with diet in early mammals. Two ana- Cite this article: Grossnickle DM, Polly PD. lyses were performed: (i) an examination of diversity based on functional 2013 Mammal disparity decreases during dental type rather than higher-level taxonomy, and (ii) a morphometric analysis of jaws, which made use of modern analogues, to assess changes the Cretaceous angiosperm radiation. Proc R in mammalian morphological and dietary disparity. Results demonstrate a Soc B 280: 20132110. decline in diversity of molar types during the mid-Cretaceous as abundances http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2110 of triconodonts, symmetrodonts, docodonts and eupantotherians dimin- ished. Multituberculates experience a turnover in functional molar types during the mid-Cretaceous and a shift towards plant-dominated diets during the late Late Cretaceous. Although therians undergo a taxonomic Received: 13 August 2013 expansion coinciding with the angiosperm radiation, they display small Accepted: 12 September 2013 body sizes and a low level of morphological disparity, suggesting an evol- utionary shift favouring small insectivores. It is concluded that during the mid-Cretaceous, the period of rapid angiosperm radiation, mammals experi- enced both a decrease in morphological disparity and a functional shift in dietary morphology that were probably related to changing ecosystems.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Types of Mammals by Cindy Grigg
    Three Types of Mammals By Cindy Grigg 1 Earth has a large variety of animals living on it. Scientists classify animals into groups based on common characteristics. Mammals are a group of animals (vertebrates) that have backbones and hair or fur. They are warm-blooded (endothermic), and they have four-chambered hearts. They also feed their young with milk from the mother's body. The young of most mammals are born alive. 2 Mammals have about six thousand different species, or kinds, of animals in their group or class. Mammals can be divided into three more groups based on how their babies develop. These three groups are monotremes, marsupials, and the largest group, placental mammals. 3 Monotremes are mammals that lay eggs. The only monotremes that are alive today are the spiny anteater, or echidna, and the platypus. They live in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. These mammals are really different from other mammals. Their body temperature is lower than most warm-blooded animals, a feature that has more in common with reptiles. Their name comes from the fact that they have only one body opening for both wastes and eggs to pass through. Echidnas have sharp spines scattered throughout their hair. They look like a spiky ball. The female anteater lays usually one leathery-shelled egg directly into the pouch on her belly. The egg hatches after only ten or eleven days. The newborn baby is tiny, about the size of a dime. After the baby hatches, it stays in the pouch for several weeks and continues to develop.
    [Show full text]
  • 17. Morphology and Physiology of the Metatheria
    FAUNA of AUSTRALIA 17. MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE METATHERIA T.J. DAWSON, E. FINCH, L. FREEDMAN, I.D. HUME, MARILYN B. RENFREE & P.D. TEMPLE-SMITH 1 17. MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE METATHERIA 2 17. MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE METATHERIA EXTERNAL CHARACTERISTICS The Metatheria, comprising a single order, Marsupialia, is a large and diverse group of animals and exhibits a considerable range of variation in external features. The variation found is intimately related to the animals' habits and, in most instances, parallels that are found in the Eutheria. Useful general references to external characteristics include Pocock (1921), Jones (1923a, 1924), Grassé (1955), Frith & Calaby (1969), Ride (1970) and Strahan (1983). Body form In size, the marsupials range upwards from the Long-tailed Planigale, Planigale ingrami, a small, mouse-like animal weighing only around 4.2 g, with a head- body length of 59 mm and a tail 55 mm long. At the other extreme, there are large kangaroos, such as the Red Kangaroo, Macropus rufus, in which the males may weigh as much as 85 kg and attain a head-body length of 1400 mm and a tail of 1000 mm. Body shape also varies greatly. The primarily carnivorous marsupials, the dasyurids (for example, antechinuses, dunnarts, quolls, planigales and others), are small to medium sized quadrupeds with subequal limbs. The tail is relatively slender and generally about half the length of the body. The omnivorous peramelids show increased development of the hind limbs in keeping with their rapid bounding locomotion. Saltatory or hopping forms (for example kangaroos and wallabies), carry the hind limb specialisation to an extreme, with a concomitant reduction of the forelimbs (Fig.
    [Show full text]
  • The Miocene Mammal Necrolestes Demonstrates the Survival of a Mesozoic Nontherian Lineage Into the Late Cenozoic of South America
    The Miocene mammal Necrolestes demonstrates the survival of a Mesozoic nontherian lineage into the late Cenozoic of South America Guillermo W. Rougiera,b,1, John R. Wibleb, Robin M. D. Beckc, and Sebastian Apesteguíad,e aDepartment of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202; bSection of Mammals, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA 15206; cSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; dCEBBAD–Fundación de Historia Natural ‘Félix de Azara’, Universidad Maimónides, 1405 Buenos Aires, Argentina; and eConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, C1033AAJ Buenos Aires, Argentina Edited by Richard L. Cifelli, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, and accepted by the Editorial Board October 18, 2012 (received for review July 27, 2012) The early Miocene mammal Necrolestes patagonensis from Pata- not referable to either Metatheria or Eutheria, but did not discuss gonia, Argentina, was described in 1891 as the only known extinct the evidence for this interpretation, nor did they identify the placental “insectivore” from South America (SA). Since then, and specific therian lineages they considered to be potential relatives despite the discovery of additional well-preserved material, the of Necrolestes. Starting in 2007, we oversaw additional prepara- systematic status of Necrolestes has remained in flux, with earlier tion of Necrolestes specimens that comprise the best-preserved studies leaning toward placental affinities and more recent ones material currently available, including skulls, jaws, and some iso- endorsing either therian or specifically metatherian relationships. We lated postcranial bones; as a result, many phylogenetically signif- have further prepared the best-preserved specimens of Necrolestes icant features have been revealed for the first time.
    [Show full text]
  • The Miraculous Platypus
    CSIRO PUBLISHING Foreword www.publish.csiro.au/journals/rfd Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 2009, 21, v–vi The miraculous platypus Roger V. Short Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia. Email: [email protected] The platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, is surely one of the the water, but showed so little of their bodies that they might most amazing animals in the world, and it still has so much to easily have been mistaken for water rats. Mr. Browne shot one; tell us about the whole of mammalian evolution. It is therefore certainly it is a most extraordinary animal; a stuffed specimen particularly appropriate on the 200th anniversary of the birth does not at all give a good idea of the head and beak when fresh; of Charles Darwin in 1809 to recall his first encounter with a the latter becoming hard and contracted’ (Darwin 1839). platypus during the voyage of the Beagle, and show how he was This brief encounter must have made a deep impression on able to use it to support his concept of the gradual evolution of Darwin, because in On the Origin of Species (Darwin 1859) species over time. he describes how: ‘in fresh water we find some of the most The first platypus to come to the attention of the Western anomalous forms known to the world, as the Ornithorhynchus world was the skin, and an accompanying drawing of the animal and Lepidosiren which, like fossils, connect to a certain extent in life, sent by John Hunter, Governor of the Penal Settlement at two Orders at present widely sundered in the natural scale.
    [Show full text]
  • Oxford Word of the Month - November: Platypup Noun: a Baby Platypus
    Click here if you are having trouble viewing this message. Share our Word of the Month: Oxford Word of the Month - November: platypup noun: a baby platypus. THE STORY BEHIND THE WORD OF THE MONTH There is some discussion on the Internet about the correct name for a baby platypus. Some commentators note that a baby platypus may be called a puggle, while others say that puggle refers only to a baby echidna. The following writer has an alternative: A common misconception is that a baby platypus is called a puggle. There is no actual official name for a baby platypus, but a common suggested name is ‘platypup’. (Sunshine Coast Sunday, 13 January 2013) The word platypup has received some interest in recent years, including the establishment of a Facebook page to campaign for its official acceptance: ‘Platypup: Give the baby platypus a name’. Platypup has a long but interrupted history. The earliest evidence appears in the 1940s and refers to the first platypus bred in captivity, in a Victorian wildlife sanctuary: A platypup’s birth made history … For more than two months Fleahy restrained his longing to take a peep at the platypup. Then, last Monday, he dug down to the blind end of the burrow, found the nest and brought the youngster up for a quick inspection. (Sydney Sun, 9 January 1944) A year later the same baby platypus is mentioned in several newspaper items: Platy-Pup Is One Year Old … Corrie, the first platypus to be bred in captivity, is one year old. (Brisbane Courier-Mail, 25 January 1945) The ‘Sun’ called the first baby platypus to be bred in captivity a platy-pup .
    [Show full text]
  • Description of a Cranial Endocast from a Fossil Platypus, Obdurodon Dicksoni
    JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY 267:1000–1015 (2006) Description of a Cranial Endocast From a Fossil Platypus, Obdurodon dicksoni (Monotremata, Ornithorhynchidae), and the Relevance of Endocranial Characters to Monotreme Monophyly Thomas E. Macrini,1* Timothy Rowe,1 and Michael Archer2 1Jackson School of Geosciences and University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Facility, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA 2School of Biological Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia ABSTRACT A digital cranial endocast of the Miocene and have rounded and dorsoventrally compressed platypus Obdurodon dicksoni was extracted from high- bodies that are mostly covered by hollow spines that resolution X-ray computed tomography scans. This endo- are essentially modified hairs. The most prominent cast represents the oldest from an unequivocal member of feature on the echidna head is the elongated, hair- either extant monotreme lineage and is therefore impor- less snout. tant for inferring character support for Monotremata, a clade that is not well diagnosed. We describe the Obdur- Whereas monotreme monophyly is virtually un- odon endocast with reference to endocasts extracted from questioned, there are relatively few unequivocal skulls of the three species of extant monotremes, particu- morphological synapomorphies for Monotremata de- larly Ornithorhynchus anatinus, the duckbill platypus. scribed in the literature; most of these are osteolog- We consulted published descriptions and illustrations of ical (as summarized by Gregory, 1947; Rowe, 1986). whole and sectioned brains of monotremes to determine However, some of these were subsequently shown to which external features of the nervous system are repre- be equivocal.
    [Show full text]