Riversleigh Platypus (Obdurodon dicksoni)
Riversleigh Platypus.
Illustration: Copyright © A Musser.
Lived: 23-10 million years ago (early - middle Miocene)
Size: Length (head to tail): 60cm
Description: The Riversleigh Platypus looked similar to today's Platypus but was slightly larger, with a much larger bill. The Riversleigh Platypus also had large teeth, whereas today the Platypus has no teeth at all.
(Baby Platypus have teeth, but they lose them while they are still very young. The adult Platypus breaks up its food with horny pads inside its mouth.)
The Riversleigh Platypus would have lived in freshwater pools surrounded by rainforest. Like the living Platypus it had electric sensors in its bill, that helped it find its underwater prey of insect larvae, yabbies and other crustaceans, and perhaps small vertebrate animals such as frogs.
Fossils: The skull of the Riversleigh Platypus is one of the most perfect fossils ever found at Riversleigh (north-western Queensland).
Did you know?: Other ancient monotremes, such as Steropodon also had teeth.
