![]() ![]() Interestingly, the platypus is one of only two types of mammals (the other being the echidna) that lay eggs.įollow Joseph Castro on Twitter. The male will then insert his penis, which is hidden in his cloaca, into the female's cloaca for fertilization - this process can take up to 10 minutes, Thomas said.Īfter mating, the female will ignore all other mating attempts during that breeding season, and the male may go on to find other females to mate with. To copulate, the male will climb partially on to the female's back, and curl his tail under her abdomen to bring their respective cloaca (waste and reproductive orifice) close together. The watertight nostrils on its bill remain sealed so that the animal can stay submerged for up to two minutes as it forages for food. They will also engage in other aquatic courtship activities, such as diving, rolling sideways together and swimming near each other, sometimes for a few days before finally mating. The platypus is a bottom-feeder that uses its beaver-like tail to steer and its webbed feet to propel itself through the water while hunting for insects, shellfish, and worms. "They will then swim in a circle," Thomas said. Until that point, she may hang out in the same area and feeding pond as the male, but won't allow him to make physical contact with her.Īfter the female has decided to accept her potential mate, she will allow him to bite on her tail and she will respond by biting on his tail. Males will try to court females by biting on the female's tail, but the female will flee if she's not ready. Picture 1 Platypus They have small eyes and do not have any external ears. Of course, a real platypus tail looks nothing like a beaver's tail, but that doesn't stop the majority of cartoon depictions from showing one anyway, often complete with thumping behavior. Females don't appear to be picky with their choice of mates, and probably assume that the male in their area is the biggest and strongest, Thomas said, adding that the female in the Healesville Sanctuary's captive breeding program will court and mate with any male presented to her.Īdult platypus pairs engage in a courtship ritualthat lasts several weeks and takes place up to six weeks before mating occurs. The fur on their tail is coarser and brittle. Little is known about what drives sexual selection in platypuses. ![]()
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