Platypus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Monotremata
Family: Ornithorhynchidae
Genus: Ornithorhynchus
Species: O. anatinus

Mainly found in the eastern part of Australia, including Tasmania, when first discovered in 1798, the Platypus was originally considered an elaborate hoax due its strange physical appearance that combines a duck-tail, beaver-tail and otter-like feet on one animal.

The Platypus is also one of the only mammals today that still lay eggs as a form of reproduction. Strangely enough, the female Platypus does have two ovaries, but only the left ovary is functional and she usually lays one to three eggs at a time.

Newly hatched young are born hairless and blind. The female Platypus does have mammary glands, but does not have teats. Milk is instead released through pores in the skin and forms pools in grooves that are found on her abdomen where her young are able to lap it up.

The male Platypus has a spur on each ankle of the hind legs. This spur delivers a powerful poison and while not lethal to humans, it is capable of killing small animals. This ability to produce venom again highlights the uniqueness of the platypus since only a handful of mammals are venomous.

Since only males possess the spur and produce venom, and its production increases during the breeding season, it is theorized that the venomous spur is used as an offensive weapon to assert dominance during the breeding period.