Platypus Genome Decoded 133
TaeKwonDood writes "Is it reptile, bird or mammal? Some of each. Does it have venom, lay eggs and lactate? Yes. Upon discovery in 1798, fellow scientists thought it was for an episode of 'Thou hast been Punk'd,' but this Australia native, on home on land and in water, is real and, finally, it gets its own decoded genome. It's no surprise the DNA is as messed up as the critter itself."
Re:Poisonous (Score:5, Informative)
Re:THCTHCTHC (Score:4, Informative)
Yeah, yeah, "Whooosh!" I know.
Re:Poisonous (Score:3, Informative)
Re:THCTHCTHC (Score:5, Informative)
Re:another link (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Poisonous (Score:1, Informative)
http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/july2004/
it would appear that the primary use is on other males while competing for mates. This is what I'd read while watching a platypus exhibit in a zoo, actually. It's a sort of king of pain mountain approach to weeding out mates. Whomever can stand the most pain, or is best at avoiding being stung in the first place, will get the female.