Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!cluster!andrewt
From: andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz.au (Andrew Taylor)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: On the classification of Platypus
Keywords: monotremes
Message-ID: <2390@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>
Date: 6 May 91 08:40:12 GMT
References: <1991Apr22.111159.29888@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> <4896@kitty.UUCP> <227@tdatirv.UUCP>
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Science, Uni of Sydney, Australia
Lines: 15

In article <227@tdatirv.UUCP>, sarima@tdatirv.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) writes:
> All monotremes lack nipples, including the three species of echidna, which
> are essentially 'anteaters', with long, tubular snouts.   The echidnas
> would *very* good at suckling at nipples.

Actually I'm not convinced echidnas (there are only 2 species) would be good
at suckling at nipples. The bill is well-developed in both echidnas and platypus
before the young finish suckling. The next time I get a chance I'll take a close
look at an echidna's bill.

A big problem for the lost monotreme nipple theory is that it doesn't
seem likely the common ancestor of platypus and echidna had a
highly-specialised mouth. Nipple loss would have to occurred twice.

Andrew Taylor