The platypus represents the earliest offshoot of the mammalian lineage some 166 million years ago from primitive ancestors that had features of both mammals and reptiles. “By comparing the platypus genome to other mammalian genomes, we’ll be able to study genes that have been conserved throughout evolution.” Wilson, Ph.D., director of the The Genome Center at Washington University and the paper’s senior author. “The fascinating mix of features in the platypus genome provides many clues to the function and evolution of all mammalian genomes,” says Richard K. Males possess hind leg spurs that can deliver pain-inducing venom to its foes competing for a mate or territory during the breeding season. One of only two mammals that lays eggs, the platypus also sports a duck-like bill that holds a sophisticated electrosensory system used to forage for food underwater. The platypus, classified as a mammal because it produces milk and is covered in a coat of fur, also possesses features of reptiles, birds and their common ancestors, along with some curious attributes of its own.
![platypus evolution ancestor platypus evolution ancestor](https://www.cell.com/cms/attachment/602114/4748880/gr1.jpg)
An analysis of the genome, published today in the journal Nature, can help scientists piece together a more complete picture of the evolution of all mammals, including humans. Louis, has decoded the genome of the platypus, showing that the animal’s peculiar mix of features is reflected in its DNA. The duck-billed platypus: part bird, part reptile, part mammal - and the genome to prove it.Īn international consortium of scientists, led by Washington University School of Medicine in St.