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The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is the sole living representative of the family Ornithorhynchidae and, together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotreme – mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Like other monotremes, the platypus senses prey in cloudy water through electrolocation. The male platypus has a spur on the hind foot that delivers an extremely painful venom, making it one of the few species of venomous mammals. This platypus was photographed swimming in a creek near Scottsdale in Tasmania.

Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp

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