Does anyone have any theories on the origins of the duck billed platypus.?

Answer 1

Maybe someone bred a duck with a beaver? But seriously, according to Wikipedia:

The Platypus and other monotremes were very poorly understood for many years, and to this day some of the 19th century myths that grew up around them endure, for example, that the monotremes are "inferior" or quasi-reptilian, and that they are the distant ancestor of the "superior" placental mammals. It is now known that modern monotremes are the survivors of an early branching of the mammal tree; a later branching is thought to have led to the marsupial and placental groups.

The oldest fossils of monotremes (Teinolophos and Steropodon) are closely related to the modern Platypus. The Steropodon fossil is composed of an opalised lower jawbone with three molar teeth, and was discovered in New South Wales, Australia (whereas the contemporary Platypus is toothless.) The fossil is thought to be about 110 million years old, which means that the platypus-like animal was alive during the Cretaceous period, around the time of the dinosaurs. It is the oldest mammal fossil found in Australia so far.

Another fossil relative of the Platypus has been found in Argentina, indicating that monotremes may have reached South America from Australia while the two continents were joined via Antarctica.

The oldest fossil found of the present-day Platypus dates back to about 100,000 years ago, the Quaternary period. It is a branch quite separate from any other known.

Fossil evidence also shows that monotremes existed during the Mesozoic Era (which includes the Cretaceous period, as well as the Triassic and Jurassic eras).

There are two theories to explain how the Platypus has evolved into what it is today. The first (theory B) shows that relatives of monotremes formed their own evolutionary branch that was completely different from development of both marsupials and placentals. This change is thought to have occurred 135 million years ago, the beginning of the Cretaceous period. The marsupials and the placentals divided at some point 135-65 million years ago.

The Second (theory A) was proposed by Gregory (1947) and was not popular until the 1970s. He said that between 135-65 million years ago, the placentals and marsupials separated to their own way then later the monotremes and the marsupials went their own way.

Evidence for this theory is that the reproductive systems of monotremes and marsupials are extremely similar. The embryos of both have some stage of encased shells in the gestation period. The only difference is that monotremes have the encased shells throughout the entire gestation period, whereas marsupials only have the encased shells for about two thirds of the gestation period.

In 2004, researchers at the Australian National University discovered the Platypus has ten sex chromosomes, compared to two (XY) found in most other mammals (for instance, a male platypus is always XYXYXYXYXY). Furthermore, one of the platypus’s Y chromosomes shares genes with the ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes found in birds. This news has further pronounced the individuality of the Platypus amongst the animal kingdom, and a target for further research into evolutionary links between mammals, birds and reptiles.

Answer 2

Well if you look at the structure of the platypus, you can see how its form has function based on its behaviours. If in any situation, one of these mutations as they probably originated as, if it gives the bearer an advantage for survival, the chances of this organism breeding and thus passing on this trait will improve. This is simply natural selection. The bill as it is called is lined with electro sensory pores that allow it to dtect the faintest sounds and vibrations in the water. The animal evolved a beak, it is just by coincidense that it resembles that of a duck. But look at its function. The eyes are not suited for underwater life, they have to be closed when it dives, so it needed some way to locate invertebrates underwater without vision. These sensory pores were probably a mutation that gave several of these animals an advantage in finding food. If they were on a hairy chin, the hairs would disrupt the vibrations and they would not be as effective, so either they evolved a beak or some sort of other bony apparatus and could have ended up looking loike hammerhead sharks instead.
Monotremes in general are a very weird group of animals....if its safe to call them mammals, then they are by far the most peculiar. These adaptations especially the egg laying adaptation may be related the climates that they faced in Pangaea before it broke apart. The world was generally much warmer then and the egg protects the developing embryo from dessication.
So, there are explanations as to why they look the way they do and do the things they do. I hope that answers your question.
Oh and this wouldn't stop Charles Darwin's theory of evoltuion either.....he would enlighten some of you doubters, its only because he isnt here to defend his theory........why are anti-evolutionists on a zoology page anyways........the entire field rest on the shoulders of evolution.......IVA???

Sorry for that rant, I hope that answers your question! It is a very good chin scratcher........

Answer 3

There are two theories on the origins of the Duck Billded Platypus

The first theory is that relatives of the monotremes formed their own evolutionary branch that was distinct from the development of both the marsupials’ and the placentals’ relatives. Then at some point between 135 and 65 million years ago, the marsupials and the placentals divided to go their own evolutionary route.

The second theory at some point between 135 and 65 million years ago, the monotremes and the marsupials separated from the placentals, causing them to evolve in a different way. After this the monotremes and marsupials separated from each other.

Answer 4

The platypus is a monotreme, and primitive examples of monotremes of a platypus type of form are known all the way back to the mid-cretaceous.

At that time, most of the ecological niches were occupied by dinosaurs, pterosaurs, birds, reptiles, and small multituberculate mammals. The more primitive monotremes, in order to survive, had to adapt to highly specialized niches not in use by other creatures... that is why the platypus, with its unusual characteristics and lifestyle, persists today - it does something no other creature in Australia has yet attempted.

Answer 5

Yes I think a beaver was drunk, didn't put his glasses on and mistook a duck for his girlfriend and had a little rendezvous. The resulting offspring was the duck billed platypus.

Answer 6

there was this scientist that was experimenting on humans oh so long ago....but his work equated him to a mad witch doctor and they all shunned him off as cursed. So he no longer had the availability of the corpses of the tribes me to work with and began experimenting with animals. One of his expeiments succeeeded and though he had been killed by a rampaging crocdile at that time, he had never lived long enough to see the fruit of his work accomplished. It's a sad tale, but certainly mary Shelly ran into his work long enough to write a book about him in the modern world :P

Answer 7

i have always accepted the existence of a platypus as the only valid argument against the Darwin´s evolution theory, but the drunk beaver explains it all!

Answer 8

Yes, it was created by God along with the other kinds of animals.
Despite what Wikipedia might say, evolutionists have no answer.

Answer 9

Evolution kinda messed up a few creatures.

Answer 10

I think it was to let us know that God has a sense of humor!!!