Abstract
Monotremata is the first or most primitive order of living mammals. They are found in the Australian area. The two major species are: Ornithorhynchus anatinus,the duck-billed platypus, and Tachyglossus aculeatus, the echidna or spiny anteater. Both lay one to three eggs with large yolks and soft shells. When the young hatch, they cling to the mother’s abdomen and lap up the milk that aexudes from primitive teats. The echidna is covered with spiny, scruffy hair and has a long beak suited to catching ants and termites. They are thought to have arisen about 100 mya from basic mammalian stock or a small mammal-like reptile.
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Reference
Lewis, J. H., Phillips, L. L., and Hann, C., 1968, Coagulation and hematological studies in primitive Australian mammals, Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 25: 1129.
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© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media New York
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Lewis, J.H. (1996). Primitive Australian Mammals. In: Comparative Hemostasis in Vertebrates. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9768-8_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9768-8_10
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