Duck-billed platypus

Question

Greetings.I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name? AFAIK, there do not exist any platypuses (platypi?) which are not duck-billed. Was the animal named, perhaps, in anticipation of the discovery of further species of platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?Regards,TristanV.-o Tristan Miller (en,(fr,de,ia)) &gt;`-' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= <> In a haiku, so it's hard (7 \ http://www.nothingisreal.com/ &gt;

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name? AFAIK, there do not exist any platypuses (platypi?) which are not duck-billed.[/nq]
Note that it's also called the platypus.
And sigged, in part:
[nq:1]Space is limited In a haiku, so it's hard To finish what you[/nq]
Very cute. :-)
Michael Hamm Since mid-September of 2003, AM, Math, Wash. U. St. Louis I've been erasing too much UBE. (Email Removed) Of a reply, then, if you have been cheated, http://math.wustl.edu/~msh210/ Likely your mail's by mistake been deleted.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Greetings. I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name? ... perhaps, in anticipation of the discovery of further species of platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?[/nq]
http://74.1911encyclopedia.org/P/PL/PLATYPUS.htm
(bottom of the page)
The animal was first assigned the scientific name platypus anatinus (duck-like flatfoot), until it was realized that there already was a genus (of beetles) of that name. At that point the name was changed to Ornithorhynchus paradoxus (paradoxical bird-beak).

The common name derives from a merging of the two scientific names.

The plural is definitely not platypi. Stick with platypuses. (The true Greek plural would be platypodes, but if you try to use that no one will understand, believe or respect you.)
Gary

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Greetings. I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name? ... perhaps, in anticipation of the discovery of further species of platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?[/nq]
And why not the "goose-billed" platypus? In fact, I think that the qualified name is becoming rare and the animal is now mostly just a platypus. Perhaps as you suggest it's because they never found an elephant-trunked platypus or a pig-snouted platypus. There's always hope, though.
Regards,
John

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Greetings. I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name? ... perhaps, in anticipation of the discovery of further species of platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?[/nq]
There are extinct members of this taxon.

Usenet · Answer

Greetings.
[nq:1]And sigged, in part:[/nq]
[nq:2]Space is limited In a haiku, so it's hard To finish what you[/nq]
[nq:1]Very cute. :-)[/nq]
Why, thank you. I wrote it myself.

V.-o Tristan Miller (en,(fr,de,ia)) >`-' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= <> In a haiku, so it's hard (7 \ http://www.nothingisreal.com/ >

Usenet · Answer

Tristan Miller filted:
[nq:1]I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name? AFAIK, ... perhaps, in anticipation of the discovery of further species of platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?[/nq]
Are there other creatures whose common names suppose a differentiated variety that doesn't actually exist?...are there sapsuckers with non-yellow bellies?...non-reticulated pythons?...daddies with short legs?...discuss..r

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Tristan Miller filted:[/nq]
[nq:2]I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known ... platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?[/nq]
[nq:1]Are there other creatures whose common names suppose a differentiated variety that doesn't actually exist?...are there sapsuckers with non-yellow bellies?...non-reticulated pythons?...daddies with short legs?...discuss..r[/nq]
Deconstricting boas? Insignificant crested grebes? Stripy-tailed lemurs? Robin sort-of-brownishbreasts? Cowfinches?

Ross Howard

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal known as the duck-billed platypus. But why the qualified name?[/nq]
[nq:1]There are extinct members of this taxon.[/nq]
Anyway, the animal's name isn't quite as funny in all languages. In Danish, for instance, it's simply , a compound of , 'beak', 'bill', and , 'animal'.

Torsten

Usenet · Answer

On 9 Dec 2003 22:19:00 GMT, Torsten Poulin
wrote in alt.usage.english,sci.lang:
[nq:2]There are extinct members of this taxon.[/nq]
[nq:1]Anyway, the animal's name isn't quite as funny in all languages. In Danish, for instance, it's simply , a compound of , 'beak', 'bill', and , 'animal'.[/nq]
I rather like the name 'duckmole'.
Brian

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Greetings. I'm sure we're all familiar with that odd-looking animal ... platypus from which the original might need to be distinguished?[/nq]
[nq:1]http://74.1911encyclopedia.org/P/PL/PLATYPUS.htm (bottom of the page) The animal was first assigned the scientific name platypus anatinus (duck-like flatfoot), until ... plural would be platypodes, but if you try to use that no one will understand, believe or respect you.) Gary[/nq]
Wouldn't that just mean "flat feet"? Isn't it the whole animal that would be plural (rather than just the feet)? If one found a number of the mythical creatures called "bigfoot", would they be bigfeet?

Chrissy

Duck-billed platypus

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