Monotreme Facts
mammals
What do platypuses eat?
mainly insect grubs, worms, little shrimps, and other small freshwater creatures.
What do echidnas like to eat?
short-nosed eat ants and termites. Long-nosed eat insects and worms.
Where do platypuses live?
Eastern Australia, including Tasmania
Where do echidnas live?
Live in Australia and New Guinea
What does monotreme mean?
egg-laying mammal
What feature helps platypuses hunt effectively?
They can locate their prey using their bills which can detect tiny electrical pulses given off by their prey.
How do they capture their prey?
Uses their powerful claws to dig in soil, and then uses their long sticky tongues to lick up and eat their prey.
What habitats can you find a platypus?
They live along creeks, rivers, and lakes
Describe the home of an echidna
They live in burrows
Where do monotremes live?
They are found only in Australia and New Guinea.
How long can a platypus get?
43-50 centimeters or 17-20 inches
How long can an echidna get?
30-76 centimeters or 12-30 inches
When are platypuses active?
Usually active at night?
In what habitats can you find an echidna?
Short-nosed live in burrows in deserts, scrublands, and forests. Long-nosed echidnas are found only in the highlands of New Guinea.
What animals are in this group?
Platypuses, short-nosed echidnas, and long-nosed echidnas
How much can a platypus weigh?
2-5 pounds
How much can an echidna weigh?
7-20 pounds
Describe the home of a platypus
Underground burrows near a body of water
Yes, they are good swimmers and use their beaks like snorkels.
How are monotremes different from reptiles and birds?
They produce milk, have hair, and are warm-blooded.
Describe the body of a platypus
Has a wide bill like a duck, a flattened tail like a beaver, and webbed feet like an otter.
How do the long-nosed echidnas look different from the short-nosed echidnas?
They have fur longer than their spines, and a long down-curved snout.
Describe the breeding burrow of a female platypus
Long breeding burrow, 60 feet or more, into the riverbank. At the end of a burrow she makes an est of dry leaves and grass.
What are special about the muscles of echidnas?
Their muscles allow them to reshape their bodies in such a way that they can fit through cracks.