Monotremes (prototheria)

Question 1

How many orders and families are in prototheria

Answer 1

single order, 2 families

Question 2

ornithorthynchides

Answer 2

family: platypus

Question 3

tachyglossidea

Answer 3

family: echidnas

Question 4

eggs and birth

Answer 4

short incubation 10-12 days
very altricial but have more developed shoulder and pectoral girdles

Question 5

Adult anatomy and traits

Answer 5

no tets/breast/nipples: milk is released directly from pores nto the stomach and is a thick glue like consistancy that the young lick up.

Question 6

Ancesteral traits

Answer 6

pectoral girldle shape similar to therapsids not mammals.
have a coracoid bone which is part of the shoulder
cervical ribs

Question 7

ornithorhynchidea

Answer 7

endothermic homeotherms Tb =32 lower than most other mammals.
semi-aquatic
dense, velvety pelage-woolly underfur
eye + ear openings covered by skin folds when submerged
bill covered with electroreceptors
primarily hunts in murky bottom water.

Question 8

Tachyglossidae

Answer 8

Thick bodies covered in short spines
slender rostrum
slender, delicate dentary bones
mucus coated young to make it sticky
have a pouch for incubating eggs

Question 9

4 types of echidnas

Answer 9

short-beaked
sir Davids long beaked
eastern long beaked
western long beaked