Friday 23 February 2007 Order monotremata
The order of monotremes (Monotremata) consists of all mammals (5 species in total) that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Unlike the difference in their reproductive system, they share some similarities with other mammals: they are warm-blooded, have a relatively high metabolism, produce milk for their young, have a single bone in their lower jaw and have 3 middle ear bones (source). Monotremes have a lower body temperature than other mammals, the short-beaked echidna can 'turn off' its body regulating mechanism to keep its energy during colder weather. Today, all living members of Monotremata live in Australia and New Guinea. Interesting fact: The name 'Monotreme' means 'single opening', because members of the order of Monotremata all just have one opening when other female mammals have three (vagina, the urethra, and the anus).
Picture of the platypus by Stefan Kraft, licensed under GFDL
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