A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Why does a platypus lay eggs?

Best Answers

The reason that odd, egg-laying mammals still exist today may be because their ancestors took to the water, scientists now suggest. The egg-laying mammals — the monotremes, including the platypus and spiny anteaters — are eccentric relatives to the rest of mammals, which bear live young. read more

Prototherians - lay eggs (eg. platypuses and echidnas) Metatherians - young develop in pouches (marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas) Eutherians - give birth to well-developed offspring (includes many familiar species such as rabbits, elephants, horses, and humans) The platypus is a prototherian. read more

ANSWER: Believe it or not, platypuses are not the only mammals that lay eggs. Mammals that lay eggs are called monotremes and include platypuses and echidnas, both of which live in Australia. Like all mammals, monotremes are warm-blooded, covered with fur and nurse their young. read more

The egg-laying mammals — the monotremes, including the platypus and spiny anteaters — are eccentric relatives to the rest of mammals, which bear live young. In addition to laying eggs, other quirks make them seem more like reptiles than our kin. read more

Encyclopedia Research

Wikipedia:

Related Facts

Image Answers