Are There Any Other Species From the Duck-Billed Platypus?
The duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is the only living species in its genus (Ornithorhynchus) and family (Ornithorhynchidae).
Fossil Relatives
However, there have been fossil relatives belonging to the same family:
- Obdurodon: An extinct genus that lived in Australia from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene epochs (about 23 million to 11,700 years ago). They were larger than modern platypuses with different tooth structures.
- Steropodon: An even older extinct genus from the early Paleocene epoch (around 66 million years ago). They were smaller with more primitive features.
While the modern platypus is unique, extinct relatives provide insight into its evolution.