Oviparous mammal: description, features, reproduction and species

Everybody knows from the school program about mammals. Do you know that the oviparous mammal is a separate species of animals that lives only on the territory of one continent - Australia? Let's look at this particular species of animals in more detail.

Opening of oviparous

For a long time, there was no known existence of unique animals of their kind that multiply, hatching eggs. The first communication about these creatures came to Europe in the XVII century. At this time from Australia brought the skin of a wondrous creature with a beak, covered with wool. It was a platypus. The alcoholized specimen was brought only 100 years later. The fact is that platypuses almost do not tolerate bondage. It is very difficult for them to create conditions for transportation. Therefore, they were monitored only in the natural environment.

Following the discovery of the platypus, there was news of another creature with a beak, but now it is covered with needles. It's viper. For a long time, scientists argued about which class to classify these two creatures. And they came to the conclusion that the platypus and echidna, oviparous mammals, should be taken out in a separate detachment. So there was a detachment One-pass, or Cloak.

Awesome Platypus

A unique creature of its kind, leading a nocturnal lifestyle. Platypus is common only in Australia and Tasmania. The animal lives half in the water, that is, it builds holes with an outlet into the water and on land, it also feeds in water. The creature of a small size - up to 40 centimeters. It has, as already said, a duck nose, but it is soft and covered with skin. Only looks very much like a duck. There is also a 15-centimeter tail, similar to the tail of the beaver. Paws have webbeds, but they do not interfere with the platypus walk on the ground and excavate well.

Since the genitourinary system and the intestine exit from the animal in one opening, or cloaca, it was carried to a separate species - Cloaca. It is interesting that the platypus swims, unlike ordinary mammals, with the help of the front paws, and the rear serve as a helm. Among other things, let's pay attention to how it multiplies.

Reproduction of the platypus

An interesting fact: before breeding animals fall into a 10-day hibernation, and only after this begins the mating season. It lasts almost all autumn, from August to November. Pair of platypuses in water, and after a two-week period the female lays an average of 2 eggs. Males do not participate in the further life of the offspring.

The female builds a special hole (up to 15 meters long) with a nest at the end of the tunnel. Lining it with raw leaves and stems to maintain a certain moisture, so that eggs do not dry out. It is interesting that for the defense she also builds a barrier wall 15 cm thick.

Only after the preparatory work she lays eggs in the nest. Sucks the platypus of the egg by curling around them. In 10 days babies appear, naked and blind, like all mammals. The female feeds the babies with milk, which drains from the pores directly into the furrows and accumulates in them. Toddlers lick the milk and so eat. Feeding lasts about 4 months, and then the kids learn how to independently feed themselves. It is the way of reproduction that gave this species the name of the "egg-laying mammal".

Unusual echidna

Echidna is also an oviparous mammal. This land creature is small in size, reaching up to 40 centimeters. It also lives in Australia, Tasmania and the islands of New Guinea. In appearance this animal resembles a hedgehog, but with a long narrow beak not exceeding 7.5 centimeters. Interestingly, echidna does not have teeth, and catches prey with a long sticky tongue.

The body of echidna is covered on the back and sides by spines, which are formed from coarse wool. Wool covers the belly, head and paws of the animal. Echidna is fully adapted for a certain type of food. She enjoys termites, ants and small insects. She leads a daily life, although it is not easy to detect. The fact is that it has a low body temperature, up to 32 degrees, and this does not allow it to bear a decrease or increase in the temperature of the environment. In this case, echidna becomes sluggish and rests under the trees or falls into a hibernation.

Method of reproduction of echidna

Echidna is an oviparous mammal, but it was possible to prove this only at the beginning of the XXI century. Interesting marriage games echidne. One female has up to 10 males. When she decides that she is ready for mating, she lies on her back. The males at the same time tear a trench around it and begin the struggle for primacy. Compounds with the female who is stronger.

Pregnancy lasts up to 28 days and ends with the appearance of one egg, which the female moves to the brood fold. Until now, it is not clear how the female moves an egg into a bag, but after 10 days a baby appears. The calf comes to the world not fully formed.

Young

The birth of such a baby is very similar to the appearance of young marsupials. They also final development take place in the bag of the mother and leave it already grown up, ready for independent life. Interesting fact: marsupial mammals are also common only in Australia.

How does the baby appear echidny? He is blind and naked, his hind legs are not developed, his eyes are covered with a leathery film, and only on the front legs are the fingers formed. To get to the milk, the baby takes 4 hours. It is interesting that in the bag the mother has 100-150 pores, which secrete milk through special hairs. The kid only needs to get to them.

The baby is in the mother's bag for about 2 months. He very quickly gaining weight due to nutritious milk. Milk of echidna is the only one that has a pink color due to the large amount of iron in it. Feeding lasts up to 6.5 months. After the young, he learns to procure food on his own.

Proehidna

Proehidna is another oviparous mammal. This creature is much larger than its counterparts. The habitat is the north of New Guinea and the island of Indonesia. Dimensions in proehidny impressive, up to 80 centimeters, its weight at the same time is up to 10 kilograms. It looks like echidna, but its beak is much longer, and the needles are much shorter. She lives in a mountainous area and eats mostly worms. Interestingly the structure of the oral cavity proehidny: the tongue of her has denticles, and with the help of it, it is able not only to chew food, but, as was noted, even to turn stones.

This species is the least explored, as it lives in the mountains. But at the same time it was noticed that the animal does not lose mobility in any weather, does not go into hibernation and is able to regulate the temperature of its own body. Reproduction of oviparous mammals, which includes proehidna, occurs in the same way as in the other two species. She takes out only one egg, which is placed in a bag on her stomach, and feeds the baby with milk.

Comparative characteristics

And now let's look at the species of mammals living on the Australian continent. So, what is the difference between oviparous, marsupial and placental mammals? To begin with, it must be said that all mammals feed their offspring with milk. But the appearance of babies in the world has huge differences.

Oviparous animals have one common feature. They lay their eggs like birds, and they hang out their time. After the emergence of offspring, the mother's organism produces milk, which the kids eat. It should be noted that the young do not suck milk, but lick it from the grooves of the female on the stomach. The absence of nipples distinguishes oviparous from other mammals.

Marsupial mammals have a brood bag, hence their name. The bag is located on the belly of the female. Newborn baby, reaching her, finds a nipple and seems to hang on it. The fact is that babies are born unformed and spend in the mother's bag a few more months until their full development. It must be said that oviparous and marsupial mammals in this respect have a similarity. Toddlers and propecies are also born underdeveloped and are placed in a peculiar brood fold.

And what about placental mammals? They have babies born fully formed due to the presence of the placenta in the uterus. Due to it, the process of feeding and development of the calf takes place. The majority of animals are placental.

There is such a diversity of species on one continent.