Platypus… the animal that became a walking meme: duck bill, otter body, beaver tail, it's a mammal, lays eggs and lives in Australia. But the story doesn't end there! The platypus also has a robust attack and defense mechanism based on venom, which it injects using a pair of spurs on its hind legs. How potent is platypus venom? Could it kill a person...?
The platypus is fascinating, no doubt about it. Beyond the adorable viral photos of its young, this mammal has left experts around the world stumped. We need to know much more about the platypus, especially if we want to protect it, since it is a "near threatened" animal.
For example, a team from the University of Copenhagen sequenced the platypus's complete genome and confirmed certain aspects such as ten sex chromosomes (five X and five Y), the presence of one of the VTG genes that allow it to lay eggs (it lost the other two 130 million years ago), and the loss of its teeth 120 million years ago, when four of the eight genes responsible for their development disappeared. However, what brings us together here is platypus venom. How is it produced, and what can it do?
Exploring Platypus Venom
The platypus is part of a very small group of mammals capable of producing venom. This is the responsibility of the so-called crural glands (shaped like a kidney) located in the upper thighs. The glands are connected to two calcaneal spurs on the hind legs, and they are exclusive to males.
The spurs are connected to a small bone that enables some articulation (and better attack angles), although they usually remain relaxed on the limb. In the case of females, their spurs are rudimentary, never fully develop, and fall off before 12 months of age.
The venom contains at least 19 peptides, divided into three categories: defensin-like peptides (with a connection to venom production in reptiles), C-type natriuretic peptides, and nerve growth factors. The presence of D-amino acids also stands out, the only case in mammalian systems. As if that weren't enough, the venom has connections to species that are not part of the platypus's evolutionary lineage, such as fish, reptiles, spiders, and starfish.
These traits make platypus venom a very potent substance, capable of paralyzing and killing small animals... but it is not lethal to humans. However, several reports agree that the platypus's "sting" is extremely painful, to the point that even morphine is ineffective. Victims develop an edema that surrounds the entry point, and in some cases it leads to hyperalgesia that can last for months.
So... why? Why does a platypus need venom? Its production increases during mating season, and the strongest theory suggests that the venom is an offensive weapon to establish dominance and conserve its territory.
