My wife posed the above question the other night, and we were pretty well stumped. My knee jerk reaction is that since female kangaroos’ nipples are inside their pouches, and males have no pouch, males also have no nipples. Any vestigial organs would be entirely under the skin. I have no real corroboration, though. Any anyone out there offer any cites? Links? First hand experience?
The question came up as I was reading a bedtime story to my 4 year old daughter. After a few minutes of idle speculation between my wife and I, my daughter intervened – “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Just read the story.”
I don’t expect her to become a regular on the Boards, alas…
No, male kangaroos do not have nipples. But then, neither do female kangaroos. Marsupials, like kagaroos and opossums, are mammals and like other mammals, they do produce milk for their young, however, it is secreted from specialized pores in the skin located inside the pouch.
While the Platypus secretes milk in the fashion you describe, I’m pretty sure female kangaroos have actual nipples in the pouch. Unfortunately, I can’t find any web resources references male kangaroo nipples.
You are thinking of the platypus. Female 'roos have nips. Not as nice as Janet Jackson’s, but they’re there. I don’t know about males, but I suspect there would be some residual nip.
To the OP, you might want to post this question here.
I think you’re right. I have a vague recollection of reading what I thought was an article about 'roo lactation, but it might have been the platypus or one of the two echidnas. Trying to find photos of 'roo nipples using Google Images has an interesting result, but not the one we want.
A female platypus secretes milk from what appear to be modified sweat glands in the skin. A newly born 'roo will latch on (literally) to one of the nips in mom’s pouch and be in 'roo baby heaven until it is developed enough to poke its head out. I believe this is true of all marsupials.