Platypus group. The platypus is a unique animal of Australia
15 January(January 2 old style)
34th Week after Pentecost. The voice is clear.
St. Sylvester, Pope
(335).
Holy Pope Sylvester (314-335) born in Rome from Christian parents Rufinus and Justa. Soon his father died, and the saint remained in the care of his mother.
Sylvester's teacher, Presbyter Quirin, gave him a good education and raised him as a true Christian. Having reached adulthood, Sylvester began to fulfill the Lord’s commandment to serve his neighbors, especially taking care of receiving strangers, providing them with shelter and rest in his home.
During the persecution of Christians, Sylvester was not afraid to accept the holy confessor Bishop Timothy, who lived with him for more than a year and with his preaching converted many to Christ.
After the martyrdom of Timothy, Sylvester secretly took the body of the saint and honorably buried him. This became known to the mayor Tarquinius; the saint was captured and brought to trial.
Tarquin forced him to renounce Christ, threatening him with torment and death. Saint Sylvester, however, was not afraid, remained firm in his confession of faith and was imprisoned. When Tarquin died suddenly after the trial, the saint received freedom and began to fearlessly preach the gospel to the pagans, converting many to Christianity.
Saint Sylvester was famous as a profound expert on the Holy Scriptures and an unwavering defender of the Christian faith. During the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, when the period of persecution ended for the Church, the Jews staged a debate about the true faith, at which the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Constantine, his mother, the holy Queen Helen, and a large retinue were present. On the part of the Christians, Pope Sylvester spoke, and on the part of the Jews there were many learned rabbis, led by Zamri, a warlock and sorcerer. Based on the Holy Books of the Old Testament, Saint Sylvester convincingly proved that all the prophets predicted the Nativity of Jesus Christ from the Unartificed Virgin, His free suffering, death for the redemption of the fallen human race and the glorious Resurrection. In this verbal competition the saint was declared the winner. Then Zamri tried to resort to sorcery, but the saint prevented the evil, calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Zamri and the rest of the Jews believed in Christ and asked to perform holy Baptism on them.
Saint Pope Sylvester ruled the Roman Church for more than twenty years, enjoying the deep respect of Christians. He died peacefully at a ripe old age in 335.
(1604).
Right Juliania Lazarevskaya, Muromskaya Righteous Juliania Lazarevskaya, Muromskaya
, is an amazing example of a selfless Russian Christian. She was the daughter of the nobleman Justin Nedyurov. From a young age she lived piously, fasted strictly and devoted a lot of time to prayer.
Orphaned early, she was given to the care of relatives who did not understand her and laughed at her. Juliania endured everything patiently and resignedly. Her love for people was expressed in the fact that she often cared for the sick and sewed clothes for the poor. The pious and virtuous life of the girl attracted the attention of the owner of the village of Lazarevsky (not far from Murom) Yuri Osorin, who soon married her.
Righteous Juliana had six sons and a daughter. After the death of her two sons, she decided to retire to a monastery, but her husband persuaded her to stay in the world to continue raising her children. According to the testimony of Juliania’s son, Kallistrat Osorin, who wrote her life, at this time she became even more demanding of herself: she intensified her fasting and prayer, slept no more than two hours at night, putting a log under her head.
After the death of her husband, Juliana distributed her part of the inheritance to the poor. Living in extreme poverty, she nevertheless was always cheerful, friendly and thanked the Lord for everything. The saint was honored with a visit from St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and instructions Mother of God
in temple prayer. When righteous Juliana departed to the Lord, she was buried next to her husband in the Church of St. Lazarus. Her daughter, schema-nun Theodosia, was also buried here. In 1614, the relics of the righteous were found, exuding fragrant myrrh, from which many received healing.(1942).
Mch. Vasily St. Sylvester of Pechersk, in the Near Caves
(XII). Sschmch. Theogen, bishop. Parian
(approx. 320)..
St. Gerasim, Patriarch of Alexandria
St. Theopemta..
St. Theodora, mother of the silverless. Cosmas and Damian
St. Mark, deaf and dumb..
Mch. Sergius in Caesarea Cappadocia
Mch. Theoktista..
St. Cosmas, Archbishop. of Constantinople.
St. Amun of Tavenni Novomoch. Zarsis
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The platypus (lat. Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a waterfowl mammal of the monotreme order that lives in Australia. It is the only modern representative of the platypus family (Ornithorhynchidae); together with the echidnas, it forms the order of monotremes (Monotremata) - mammals, in a number of characteristics close to reptiles. This unique animal is one of the symbols of Australia; it appears on the reverse of the Australian 20 cent coin.
Ever since scientists discovered the beak-nosed platypus in 1797, it has become evolution's mortal enemy. When this amazing animal was sent to England, scientists thought it was a fake made by Chinese taxidermiers. At that time, these craftsmen were famous for connecting different parts of the body of animals and making unusual stuffed animals. After the platypus was discovered, George Shaw introduced it to the public as Platypus anatinus (translated as flat-footed duck). This name did not last long, as another scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach changed it to “paradoxical bird's beak”, or Ornithorhynchus paradoxus (translated as paradoxical bird's beak). After much debate between the two scientists over the name of this animal, they finally came to an agreement and decided to call it Ornithorhynchus anatinus.
Taxonomists were forced to classify the platypus as a separate order because it did not belong to any other order. Robert W. Feid explains it this way: “The platypus's nose is like a duck's beak. Each foot has not only five toes, but also webs, making the platypus something of a cross between a duck and an animal that can burrow and dig. Unlike most mammals, the platypus's limbs are short and parallel to the ground. Externally, the ear looks like an opening without the pinna, which is usually present in mammals. The eyes are small. The platypus is an animal that leads night look life. It catches food underwater and stores a supply of food, i.e. worms, snails, larvae and other worms like squirrels in special bags that are located behind his cheeks"
There is a humorous parable according to which the Lord, having created animal world, discovered the remains of “ building material", brought them together and connected them: duck nose, beaver tail, rooster spurs, webbed feet, sharp claws, thick short fur, cheek pouches, etc.
Evolution of the platypus
Monotremes are the surviving members of one of the earliest mammalian lineages. The oldest monotreme discovered in Australia is 110 million years old (Steropodon). It was a small, rodent-like animal that was nocturnal and, most likely, did not lay eggs, but gave birth to severely underdeveloped cubs. A fossilized tooth from another fossil platypus (Obdurodon), found in 1991 in Patagonia, Argentina, indicates that the platypus' ancestors most likely came to Australia from South America, when these continents were part of the supercontinent Gondwana. The closest ancestors of modern
The platypus appeared about 4.5 million years ago, while the earliest fossil specimen of Ornithorhynchus anatinus itself dates back to the Pleistocene. Fossil platypuses resembled modern ones, but were smaller in size. In May 2008, it was announced that the platypus genome had been deciphered.
Description
The body of the platypus is tightly knit, short-legged, covered with thick, pleasant to the touch, dark brown hair, which acquires a grayish or reddish tint on the belly. Its head is round in shape, its eyes, as well as its nasal and ear openings are located in recesses, the edges of which meet tightly when the platypus dives.
The animal itself is small:
- Body length is from 30 to 40 cm (males are a third larger than females);
- Tail length – 15 cm;
- Weight – about 2 kg.
The animal's legs are located on the sides, which is why its gait is extremely reminiscent of the movement of reptiles on land. The animal’s paws have five toes, which are ideally suited not only for swimming, but also for digging: the swimming membrane connecting them is interesting because, if necessary, it can bend so much that the animal’s claws will be on the outside, turning a swimming limb into a digging limb.
Since on hind legs The animal's membranes are less developed; when swimming, it actively uses its front legs, while it uses its hind legs as a rudder, while the tail acts as a balance. The tail is slightly flat and covered with hair. Interestingly, it can be used to very easily determine the age of the platypus: the older it is, the less fur it has. The animal’s tail is also notable for the fact that it is in it, and not under the skin, that fat reserves are stored.
Beak
The most remarkable thing in the appearance of the animal will, perhaps, be its beak, which looks so unusual that it seems that it was once torn off from a duck, repainted black and attached to its fluffy head.
The beak of the platypus differs from the beak of birds: it is soft and flexible. At the same time, like a duck, it is flat and wide: with a length of 65 mm, its width is 50 mm. One more interesting feature beak is that it is covered with elastic skin in which it is located great amount nerve endings. Thanks to them, the platypus, while on land, has an excellent sense of smell, and is also the only mammal, which senses the weak electric fields that appear during muscle contraction of even the smallest animals, such as crayfish. Such electrolocation abilities enable the blind and deaf to aquatic environment the animal detects prey: for this, while under water, it constantly turns its head in different directions.
Anatomical features of the platypus
Evolutionists are surprised by the variety of structural features that can be found in the platypus. Looking at its beak, you might think that it is
relative of the duck; by his tail one could classify him as a beaver; his hair is similar to that of a bear; its webbed feet resemble those of an otter; and its claws resemble those of reptiles. Behind all this diversity there is definitely the hand of God, and certainly not evolution!
The physiological diversity of the platypus is simply breathtaking. The spurs located on the hind legs of the platypus give off poisonous substance. This poison is almost as strong as most poisonous snakes! This feature makes the platypus the only poisonous animal in the world whose body is covered with hair. Stuart Burgess, in his book Signs of Design, points out the following:
“The platypus, like an ordinary mammal, feeds its young with milk. However, unlike other mammals, the platypus does not have nipples for feeding. The milk penetrates through the holes located on its body!”
It is with the help of nipples that mammals feed their young. The platypus breaks this rule and uses the holes on its body as a way to feed its young. If we look at these functions of the platypus from the point of view of evolutionary classification, they seem paradoxical. However, from a creationist perspective, explaining why God created something so different from all other animals becomes much easier.
The fossil record also confirms the fact that the platypus is a real being, which did not evolve from a common ancestor. Scott M. Hughes writes: “There are several good reasons to disagree with the evolutionary interpretation of the origin of the platypus.
These some reasons are the following facts:
- The fossilized remains of the platypus are absolutely identical to modern forms.
- The complex structures of the egg or mammary glands are always fully developed and do not help in any way to explain the origin and development of the platypus's uterus and milk.
- More typical mammals are found in strata much lower than the egg-laying platypus. Thus, the platypus - special kind an animal that was specially created to have such varied characteristics."
Evolutionists are unable to explain anatomical structure platypus; they can't explain it physiological characteristics; and they don't know how to explain this animal with evolutionary processes. One thing is clear: the diversity of the platypus leaves evolutionary scientists completely confused.
How does he live and what does he eat?
live Australian platypuses near lakes and rivers, near swamps, in warm lagoon waters. The 10 m long hole has 2 entrances: one is located under the roots of trees and camouflaged in the thickets, the other is underwater. The entrance to the hole is very narrow. When the owner passes through it, even water is squeezed out of the animal’s coat.
The animal hunts at night and is in the water all the time. He needs food per day, the weight of which is at least a quarter of the weight of the animal itself. It feeds on small animals: frogs and snails, small fish, insects, crustaceans. It even eats algae.
In search of its breakfast, it can turn out stones on land with its beak and claws. Underwater, the fast-moving animal catches its prey in a few seconds. Having caught food, no
eats it right away and stores it in its cheek pouches. When it floats up, it eats, rubbing its prey with horny plates. He has them instead of teeth.
Platypus breeding
The breeding season for platypuses occurs once a year between August and November. During this period, males swim into the areas of females, the pair circles in a kind of dance: The male grabs the female by the tail and they swim in a circle. There are no mating fights between males; they also do not form permanent pairs.
Before the mating season begins, all platypuses lie down in hibernation for 5-10 days. Having woken up, the animals actively get down to business. Before mating begins, each male courts the female by biting her tail. Mating season lasts from August to November.
After mating, the female begins to build a brood burrow. It differs from the usual one in being long and at the end of the hole there is a nesting chamber. The female also equips the brood hole inside, placing it in the nesting chamber. different leaves and stems. Upon completion of construction work, the female closes the corridors to the nesting chamber with plugs from the ground. Thus, the female protects the shelter from floods or attacks by predators. The female then lays eggs. More often it is 1 or 2 eggs, less often 3. Platypus eggs are more like reptile eggs than birds. They have rounded shape and covered with a leathery grayish-white shell. Having laid the eggs, the female remains in the hole almost all the time, warming them until the babies hatch.
Platypus cubs appear on the 10th day after laying. Babies are born blind and completely without hair up to 2.5 cm in length. To be born, babies break through the shell with a special egg tooth, which falls out immediately after birth. The mother moves the newly hatched cubs onto her stomach and feeds them with milk protruding from the pores on the stomach. The new mother does not leave her babies for for a long time, but only for a few hours to hunt and dry the wool.
At the 11th week of life, babies are completely covered with hair and begin to see. The cubs hunt independently as early as 4 months. Full independent life Young platypuses live without a mother after the 1st year of life.
Enemies
The platypus has few natural enemies. But at the beginning of the twentieth century. he was on the verge of extinction. In Australia, poachers mercilessly exterminated the animal because of its valuable fur. More than 60 skins were used to sew one fur coat. A complete ban on hunting was successful. Platypuses were saved from complete destruction.
Determination of gender
In 2004, scientists from the Australian national university in Canberra discovered that the platypus has 10 sex chromosomes, not two (XY), like most mammals. Accordingly, the combination XXXXXXXXXXX produces a female, and XYXYXYXYXY produces a male. All sex chromosomes are connected into a single complex, which behaves as a single whole in meiosis. Therefore, males produce sperm with chains XXXXX and YYYYY. When sperm XXXXX fertilizes an egg, female platypuses are born if the sperm
YYYYY – male platypuses. Although the platypus chromosome X1 has 11 genes that are found on all X chromosomes in mammals, and chromosome X5 has a gene called DMRT1 found on the Z chromosome in birds, being the key sex-determining gene in birds, overall genomic studies have shown that five sex The X chromosome of the platypus is homologous to the Z chromosome of birds. The platypus does not have the SRY gene (a key gene for sex determination in mammals). It is characterized by incomplete dosage compensation, recently described in birds. Apparently, the mechanism for determining the sex of the platypus is similar to that of its reptilian ancestors.
Population status and conservation
Platypuses were previously hunted for their valuable fur, but at the beginning of the 20th century, hunting them was prohibited. Currently, their population is considered relatively stable, although due to water pollution and habitat degradation, the platypus' range is becoming increasingly patchy. It was also caused some damage by the rabbits brought by the colonists, who, by digging holes, disturbed the platypuses, forcing them to leave their habitable places.
Australians created special system reserves and “sanctuaries” where platypuses can feel safe. Among them, the most famous are Healesville Nature Reserve in Victoria and West Burleigh in Queensland. The platypus is an easily excitable, timid animal, so for a long time it was not possible to export platypuses to zoos in other countries. The platypus was first successfully exported abroad in 1922 to the New York Zoo, but it only lived there for 49 days. Attempts to breed platypuses in captivity have been successful only a few times.
Relationships with people
While in nature this animal has few enemies (sometimes it is attacked by a python, a crocodile, predatory bird, monitor lizard, fox or accidentally swam seal), at the beginning of the last century it was on the verge of extinction. The hundred-year hunt did its job and destroyed almost everyone: products made from platypus fur turned out to be so popular that poachers had no mercy (about 65 skins are needed to sew one fur coat).
The situation turned out to be so critical that already at the beginning of the last century, hunting for platypuses was completely prohibited. The measures were successful: now the population is quite stable and is not in danger, and the animals themselves, being indigenous to Australia and refusing to breed on other continents, are considered a symbol of the continent and are even depicted on one of the coins.
Where to look?
To see a live platypus, you can visit Melbourne Zoo or Healesville Australian Animal Sanctuary outside Melbourne. Recreated here natural conditions the platypus' habitat in nature, and you can almost always watch this amazing animal.
- After the discovery of platypuses, scientists for another 27 years did not know which class to classify these animals into. It was only when the German biologist Meckel discovered mammary glands in a female platypus that they were classified as mammals.
- Female platypuses lay eggs like reptiles or birds.
- Platypuses have the slowest metabolism of all mammals. But if necessary, for example, to warm up in cold water, the platypus can speed up metabolism by 3 times.
- The normal body temperature of the platypus is only 32°C.
- There are only two mammals that can sense electrical signals, and one of them is the platypus. Using electropolation, platypuses can sense the electrical fields of their prey.
- Platypuses are poisonous, but only the males. Each male platypus has spurs on its hind legs that are connected to a gland on its thigh. IN mating season The gland produces a very strong poison that can easily kill a medium-sized animal, for example, a dingo. Although platypus venom is not fatal to humans.
- In male platypuses, the reproductive testes are located inside the body near the kidneys.
- Platypuses live only in fresh water, never swimming in salty waters.
- The platypus's beak is soft, not hard like a bird's, covered with skin.
- The platypus' feet are designed for both swimming and digging.
- Female platypuses do not have a brood pouch or nipples. The milk flows straight down the fur, and the babies simply lick it off.
- Platypuses live on average about 10 years.
- The platypus is featured on the Australian 20 cent coin.
- Under water, platypuses cannot see, hear or smell anything, since the valves of the nostrils and the grooves of the ears and eyes are closed.
- Every year, platypuses go into hibernation for 5-10 days, after which the mating season begins.
Video
Sources
- https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus http://awesomeworld.ru/zhivaya-priroda/zhivotnyj-mir/utkonos.html#i-2
Platypus– lat. Ornithorhynchus anatius, the only member of the platypus family, belongs to the class Mammals.
The structure of platypuses
The front face of the platypus is presented in the form of a horny covering, slightly reminiscent of a duck's beak, hence the name - platypus.
Another feature of the platypus is its flattened tail, which is similar to the tail of a river beaver, but unlike the beaver, it has thick and beautiful hair. The body of the platypus is also covered with hair and is mainly dark brown in color.
Between the toes, the platypus is “equipped” with well-developed swimming membranes, which is why the platypus swims so well and feels great in the water.
The platypus has no teeth; instead, there are horny plates located on the sides of the jaws.
The platypus is an amazing animal, the structure of which has many features reminiscent of reptiles. For example, the temperature of the platypus, like that of reptiles, is very low - about 27 degrees. They also have a cloaca, into which there is an opening from the intestinal tract.
Habitat and nutrition of platypuses
The platypus lives in shallow and small burrows near rivers, lakes and other various bodies of water. Minks are pulled out off the coast, almost near the water.
The platypus obtains food by rummaging in the mud, digging out various worms (sandworms) and their larvae, mollusks, etc. It also feeds on small aquatic and terrestrial insects.
Reproduction of platypuses
Another feature that reminds the platypus of reptiles is the absence of a uterus. Platypuses hatch their offspring using eggs the size of a hazelnut, covered with a soft, leathery shell. Eggs are laid and incubated in nests, much like birds do, while reptiles lay their eggs in warm, cozy places. Next comes another feature that resembles a platypus, like a mammal, an animal to which, in principle, it belongs. The peculiarity is that the hatched cubs, like all mammalian cubs, are fed with mother's milk. But again, there are no nipples on the body of platypuses; as a result, the mammary glands are located on the stomach in special pits or depressions in the skin. The cubs simply lick the milk from the belly.
All this says only one thing, Platypuses are amazing animals!!!
On this moment Platypuses are listed in the Red Book. Platypuses are the last representatives of the descendants of the most ancient lower mammals and are on the verge of extinction.
Class – mammals (mammalia)
Order – oviparous (monotremata)
Family – platypus (ornithorhynchidae)
Genus – platypuses (ornithorhynchus)
Species – platypus (ornithorhynchus anatinus)