![]() The skin of the bill holds tens of thousands of sensory receptors that help the platypus navigate underwater and detect movement of potential food, such as shrimp, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory. The bill of a platypus resembles that of a duck and has a smooth texture that feels like suede. The animals walk on their knuckles to protect the webbing, according to a 2001 report in the Journal of Experimental Biology (opens in new tab). When platypuses are on land, their webbing retracts, making the claws more pronounced, according to National Geographic (opens in new tab). Scientists are still investigating this question.Ī platypus's front feet have extra skin that acts like a paddle when the animal is swimming. It's possible that this biofluorescence helps reduce the animals' visibility to predators, but the eerie glow may serve little or no ecological function. Under ultraviolet light, however, platypuses' drab brown fur glows green and blue, Live Science previously reported (opens in new tab). ![]() Most of the fur is dark brown, except for a patch of lighter fur near each eye and lighter-colored fur on the underside. Platypuses have dense, thick fur that helps them stay warm underwater.
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