The Magnificent World of Platypi (or is it platypuses? platypoda?)

I'd like to start this post off with a few images. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

  
 

Now, you must be thinking to yourself , my stars, why, that might be the most adorable thing my eyes ever did see. Don't be fooled. The platypus is not a creature to be toyed with. These glorious creatures are the sole survivors of their family and genus. According to myth, when the platypus was first discovered, scientists were outraged, believing the whole thing to be a cruel hoax in which someone has sewn a duck bill to a beaver-like animal. The platypus continues to amaze the science world with its awesome existence and will probably never be understood. So, without further ado, I present you with a plethora of facts about the platypus.

1. Although the platypus is a mammal, it doesn't bear live young. According to Wikipedia, it is one of the five existent species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs. This is one of the most commonly known facts about platypi.
2. There is no universally accepted plural for the word platypus.
3. Unlike a duck's hard beak, the platypuses bill is made from pliable cartilage.
4. As its natural defense, a platypus has poisonous spurs on its hind legs with venom strong enough to kill a dog.
5. The platypus uses its tail as a fat storage device. More than 50% of the animal's body fat is found in its tail.
6. A platypus' bill has a receptor system that can detect the electric impulses in other creature's muscles. The platypus uses these readings to locate their prey.
7. The word "platypus" means broad foot an comes from the Greek word "platys" meaning broad and pous foot.
8. The platypus' growl has been described as resembling a puppy's growl.
9. Only the young have teeth, after the platypus grows they fall out. Adult platypi use grinding pads in their bills to chew foot.
10. When the first platypus egg was hatched in captivity in 1999, a zookeeper described the accomplishment as the,"zoological equivalent of reaching the peak of Mount Everest".
11. There is not a single zoo outside of Australia with a platypus in it. This is because of the Australian government's strict rules about the removal of platypi from the country.
12. Platypuses are very solitary creatures.
13. Instead of beast-feeding, mother platypuses "sweat" milk which their young then lick off their fur.
14. The platypus has legs like an Otter, webbed feet like aquatic birds, a bill like a duck (hence the term, duck-billed platypus), and a tail like a beaver.
15. It's scientific name is "Ormithorhynchus anatinus."
16. The platypus has no visible ears.
17. Platypuses typically grow to be around the size of a typical household cat. Small but dangerous.
18. The platypus walks on it knuckles and only exposes its webbed feet for swimming.
19. The platypus swims with its ears, nose, and eyes closed.
20. The platypus sleeps an average of 17 hours a day.
21. Platypi don't have stomachs. Now all they have is a useless tube connecting its esophagus to its intestines.
22. To be able to run, the platypus retracts the webbing on its feet and exposes its nails.

And now, some videos to further entertain you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7_l_FdIuLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsd7ZfdZcNU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ycejyi2t4A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Whh_eSA68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVPd6hf-Nlw

I hope you are as thoroughly amazed as I am. Unfortunately, I was unable to do as much research as I would have liked to since Hurricane Sandy knocked out my power for a couple of days. In order to give these awesome creatures the proper retribution they deserve, I'm considering doing a follow-up post about them in the future. In the meantime, if you would like to find out more about the platypus, Google is always there for your convenience.