They are milk-producing mammals with incongruously webbed feet, and a bill.
They also lay eggs like an amphibious water bird.
The platypus continues to fascinate today with its charming face.
From left to right, a male platypus photographed under visible light, 385–395 nm ultraviolet (UV) light, and UV light with a yellow camera lens filter. (Photo: composite from Jonathan Martin / Mammalia 2020;10.1515/mammalia-2020-0027)
A recent paper inMammaliadetails new discoveries about this small critter which is found in eastern Australia and Tasmania.
Forestry scientists atNorthland Collegein Ashland, Wisconsin published this discovery in October 2020.
However, the researchers' interest in fluorescent mammals dates back several years.
Photo: Jonathan Martin / Mammalia 2020;10.1515/mammalia-2020-0027
ProfessorJonathan Martinwas exploring his backyard with a UV flashlight when he encountered aflying squirrel.
UV light is composed of wave lengths slightly too short for most humans to see.
This 2019 paper inspired the researchers to continue their investigation of mammal pelts and UV light.
A platypus in Tasmania. (Photo: Klaus viaWikimedia Commons[CC BY-SA 2.0])
The team chose platypuses as an example of a very different mammal from the flying squirrels.
Both male and female specimens glowed a shockingly brilliant blue-green with a purple belly.
An Australian scientist also confirmed this discovery using a blacklight on awild platypusfound injured roadside in Australia.
The Northland College scientists summarized these findings in a paper under the lead authorship ofDr.
The reason platypuses fluoresce is still murky.Fluoresceis a material property, possessed by objects such as white T-shirts.
It is possible that the egg-laying mammals just acquired this trait by chance of nature.
It is also possible that the traitevolvedto allow the animals to evade nighttime predators with ultraviolet visual ranges.
Scroll down to learn more about the platypus in an adorable video from the San Diego Zoo.
A platypus in Tasmania.
