Rubric - Extraordinary animals III - The Platypus (Platypus)
One of the most extraordinary animals in the world is probably the platypus. It is native to Australia only, and is one of the eggs-laying mammals. It has a streamlined flat body, it looks a bit like a beaver. The flat tail and the body are covered with a brownish coat, the water is repellent. Back and front feet have webbed skins. Female animals are about 1/3 smaller. His beak looks a lot like a duckbill.
A special feature of the males are their poison spores on the hind legs, which are about 15 mm long. The venom that they excrete is produced in the abdomen by glands. However, these only become active during the mating season in order to fight rivals. The male platypus are thus among the few venomous mammals.