Headline: "Platypus Genome as Weird as Platypus"

[ultrafilter]

It turns out that platypuses are even weirder than we thought:

Arguably the oddest beast in nature’s menagerie, the platypus looks as if were assembled from spare parts left over after the animal kingdom was otherwise complete.

Now scientists know why. According to a study released Wednesday, the egg-laying critter is a genetic potpourri – part bird, part reptile and part lactating mammal.

Also, they have ten sex chromosomes. Who needs ten?

[gardentraveler]

NPR aired a story on it today as well. I don’t think I would have paid such close attention if they hadn’t started out by quoting Ogden Nash.

Interesting to know that its looks reflect the genome. Check out the video, too.

GT

[Silver_Tyger]

They’re cute little critters, aren’t they?

[Rick]

[QUOTE=ultrafilter]
Also, they have ten sex chromosomes. Who needs ten?
[/QUOTE]

Honey, you got me hornier than a duck billed platypus.

[Gatopescado]

I’ve always wondered: Do they taste like chicken or do they taste like fish?

[Madd_Maxx]

[QUOTE=Gatopescado]
I’ve always wondered: Do they taste like chicken or do they taste like fish?
[/QUOTE]

Yes.

[Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor]

[QUOTE=Madd Maxx]
Yes.
[/QUOTE]
Damn you & such.
I wanted to.

[DellieM]

[QUOTE=Silver Tyger Girl]
They’re cute little critters, aren’t they?
[/QUOTE]

Even cuter is the fact that their young are called puggles.

[elelle]

[QUOTE=Gatopescado]
I’ve always wondered: Do they taste like chicken or do they taste like fish?
[/QUOTE]

Correspondent Daffy Duck responds:

Well, they may tasth like chickenth or fith, whatever, but they ain’t right. Perthonally, I’m really thick to death of the Duck-billed nomenclathure, 'cuz they ain’t ducths, they’re platyputhe, Mammalths. Oh, yep, they juth like to show uth ducths up with their fancy itholated exthra thex chromathomes,but, who are we kidding, they can’t fly, or thwim pictuesquely on lakes like uth ducth do.

Ogden Nath, don’t get me goin’… Ith’s all fine if you can have an “Independent Attitude” living in Authtralia with eonth of itholated thingths without thuff, not to mention all the ammunithion pointed in yer directhion, every theason. They ain’t no kinda real duck-billed, though, thathh fer thure!

Thufferin’ Thuccotath!

[eleanorigby]

[QUOTE=DellieM]
Even cuter is the fact that their young are called puggles.
[/QUOTE]

<keels over from the sheer cuteness of that>
Is that a duck billed platypus in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?