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What three animals is the platypus similar to?
The platypus is among nature’s most unlikely animals. In fact, the first scientists to examine a specimen believed they were the victims of a hoax. The animal is best described as a hodgepodge of more familiar species: the duck (bill and webbed feet), beaver (tail), and otter (body and fur).
How many bones are in a giraffe’s neck?
Despite its elongated form, the neck of a giraffe is made up of just seven large bones known as cervical vertebrae. By comparison, the body of the common house mouse (Mus musculus) is only around 10 centimetres long, its tail contributing more to the overall length.
Can giraffes lick their ears?
@sweden on Twitter: “Also, fun fact: Giraffes can actually lick inside their own ears.
Do giraffes have purple tongues?
The front of a giraffe’s tongue is dark in colour (purple, blue or black) but the back and base of it is pink. Giraffes use their long tongues to wrap around leaves that grow at the tops of trees, so this type of “sunscreen” helps to prevent them from getting sunburned while they eat.
How is a mouse different from a giraffe?
Mice also have seven cervical vertebrae in their necks, though extremely small compared to those of a giraffe. Mice and giraffes experienced two very different evolutionary journeys from their common ancestor to end up as the vastly different animals they are today.
How is the jaw of a platypus different from other mammals?
The first upper and third lower cheek teeth of platypus nestlings are small, each having one principal cusp, while the other teeth have two main cusps. The platypus jaw is constructed differently from that of other mammals, and the jaw-opening muscle is different.
What kind of tongue does a giraffe have?
The long, sticky tongue that both the Okapi and Giraffe have allows them to pull shoots and leaves from strong and hardy branches with ease. The animals can also reach their eyes and ear with their tongue so they can easily rid those areas of bugs and parasites.
Which is the only living member of the family platypus?
The platypus is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species appear in the fossil record.