Thread: Platypus..........

Originally Posted by JLo

there is no universally agreed plural because it cannot be done in Latin from which the the word is derived.

Tom Grant would agree.

It is not what I think it is what I know having studied the the animal and written about it.

Cheers
JLo

Actually - platypus, like octopus is greek, not latin. Platy meaning "flat" and pus meaning "foot" - with octopus of course meaning 8-footed. In greek the correct plural would be ode(s) - so many language experts argue that this is the correct plural. e.g. octopodes - which appears in the webster and oxford dictionary as a correct plural. The pi ending is a latin plural for a greek word - which is why it is considered incorrect. Platypuses and octopuses is however easier and more commonly used in english, so for that reason they have become the preferred plurals.

Tom Grant uses platypuses - which you argue is incorrect. How many journal papers do you have compared to him???

Originally Posted by EchiDna

honestly guys, the correct spelling (or not) of the plural form is quite irrelevant - we should be talking about the amazing creatures themselves as they are truely incredible - venomous egg laying mammals - what a weird, weird, weird example of the animal kingdom!!

Well as a fellow "venomous egg laying mammal" you are biased

But seriously - I agree - however the (english) language seems almost as weird at times (as do the insane conspiracy theory ramblings of some people on here... )



Anyway - back on topic - I was lucky enough to see a few platypuses in the northern nsw area about 10 years ago. I was surprised by how small they were.
In the National Museum in canberra there is a blanked made from platypus pelts sewn together - about 42!!! Apparently it was quite common for early settlers to make these - the poor platypuses must have been plentiful back then.

When we were in tassie we tried hard to find some in some likely spots, but no luck. Saw heaps of echidnas though!

While canoeing in pemberton (WA) we saw what we thought was a platypus swimming underwater...

but it turned out to be a musk duck
\

(yes I know platypus aren't endemic to WA - but neither are a host of east coast bird species which have been released here).

Originally Posted by EchiDna

I aint venomous, just a tad prickly at times

mind you I was unaware of this little factoid from wikipedia: Male echidnas have a four-headed penis. During mating, the heads on one side "shut down" and do not grow in size; the other two are used to release semen. The heads used are swapped each time the mammal copulates

I am staggered that you didn't know... never looked down there, or just deformed???

Hmm - I thought echidnas had venomous spines as well - thanks...