The platypus represents the earliest offshoot of the mammalian lineage some 166 million years ago from primitive ancestors that had features of both mammals and reptiles. “By comparing the platypus genome to other mammalian genomes, we’ll be able to study genes that have been conserved throughout evolution.” Wilson, Ph.D., director of The Genome Center at Washington University and the paper’s senior author.
“The fascinating mix of features in the platypus genome provides many clues to the function and evolution of all mammalian genomes,” said Richard K. Males possess hind leg spurs that can deliver pain-inducing venom to its foes competing for a mate or territory during the breeding season. One of only two mammals that lays eggs, the platypus also sports a duck-like bill that holds a sophisticated electrosensory system used to forage for food underwater. The platypus, classified as a mammal because it produces milk and is covered in fur, also possesses features of reptiles, birds and their common ancestors, along with some curious attributes of its own. The mammal has features of reptiles, birds and their common ancestors as well as some unique attributes. School of Medicine researchers have sequenced the duck-billed platypus genome. An analysis of the genome, published in the journal Nature, can help scientists piece together a more complete picture of the evolution of all mammals, including humans. Like the sloth, you're a sweet, peace-loving creature who likes to take things easy.The duck-billed platypus: part bird, part reptile, part mammal - and the genome to prove it.Īn international consortium of scientists, led by the School of Medicine, has decoded the genome of the platypus, showing that the animal’s peculiar mix of features is reflected in its DNA. You're a Sloth!Sloths are incredible, and people have been fascinated with this lovely, lazy creature for a long time! The first prehistoric mammal skeleton ever to be displayed in public was of the giant ground sloth. You're an Octopus!And what an incredible creature you are! Did you know that octopuses can edit their RNA within a single animal's lifetime? Just like the octopus, you're intelligent, crafty, and deeply sensitive. Like our pink friend, you're resilient, adorable, and instantly charming. Axolotols can regenerate their tails and all four of their limbs. You're an Axolotol!Also known as the Mexican salamander! The axolotol gets its millennial pink color from a form of undermelanization. Like the tortoise, you take time to think through your decisions you may move slowly, but you move with great purpose. Galapagos tortoises evolved at one-fifth the speed of most other reptiles, in part due to their longevity (some turtle species can live for well over a century). They don't just move slowly, they evolve slowly as well. It can be hard for you to break out of your shell when you first meet new people, but once you do, you're easy to fall in love with! You're a Galapagos Tortoise!Truly the sweetest (and perhaps, slowest!) creature. They're nocturnal in the summer, but readjust to daytime activity in the winter! Similar to armadillos, you're open to change and spontaneity. You're an Armadillo!Is there anything cuter? Armadillos' shells are so thick that it's difficult for them to regulate their body temperatures, so they have to change their habits to match the season. Like the gharial, you are clever and tenacious (and maybe secretly a softie beneath those scales). Instead, their sex is determined by incubation temperature of the egg.
Which Evolutionary Outlier Are You? Consider the Platypus by Maggie Ryan Sandford explores biology and genetics by digging into the evolutionary history of the world's weirdest creatures.Figure out if you're more like an octopus or two-toed sloth, and learn a little about evolution along the way!You're a Gharial!Gharials may look fearsome, but they're not so tough: on land, their legs are so short and weak that they can scarcely lift their bellies off the ground! One fascinating fact about gharials is that they don't seem to have sex chromosomes.
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