In contrast, platypus venom can kill smaller animals — such as a medium-sized dog — within a matter of minutes. Only male platypuses have venomous spurs. The amount of venom a male platypus ...

Male platypuses have sharp spurs on their back legs shaped like a canine tooth. These hollow spurs measure 0.59 to 0.71 inches long and connect to crural glands in the animal’s upper thighs. These ...

Platypus swimming. Image David Clode via Unsplash. While many are familiar with venom in reptiles and insects, the platypus is one of the very few venomous mammals. The male platypus harbors venomous ...

The “Toxic Male Technique” genetically engineers males to transfer venom proteins during mating, drastically reducing females’ lifespan and their ability to spread diseases like malaria and Zika. This ...

male funnel-web spiders are about six times more venomous than females. The Australian Reptile Park will soon milk Hemsworth's fangs so his venom can become a lifesaving cure for funnel-web spider ...

One significant finding in recent research is the remarkable longevity of platypuses. A male platypus was recorded living nearly 24 years in the wild, which is a new record for this species.

They are such an unusual mammal that the first scientists to study them believed they were the brunt of a hoax. Despite their awkward appearance, the platypus has a superpower-like sixth sense that it ...