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Glite Dictionary
Ornithorhynchidae

Ornithorhynchidae

9.9
A family of egg-laying mammals that includes only the platypus
  • noun
  • /ˌɔrnɪθəˈrɪŋkɪdi/
  • Australian
: Ornithorhynchidae
  • Did you know that the Ornithorhynchidae family only includes the platypus?

Examples

  • The Ornithorhynchidae family is native to eastern Australia and Tasmania.

  • Scientists study the unique characteristics of Ornithorhynchidae to understand mammalian evolution.

  • Of all monotremes, the Ornithorhynchidae are perhaps the most distinctive due to their duck-like bills.

  • The Ornithorhynchidae family is fascinating due to its unique characteristics.

  • The Ornithorhynchidae family, which includes only the platypus, is known for its unusual method of reproduction.

  • Researchers are fascinated by the Ornithorhynchidae because of their unique adaptations among mammals.

  • The Ornithorhynchidae are one of the few groups of mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.

Surface Forms

Ornithorhynchidae singular
Ornithorhynchidaes plural

Morphology

Ornithorhynchidae = Ornithorhynchus (opaque) = Ornithorhynchus + idae

Formed by adding the scientific family suffix '-idae' to the genus name 'Ornithorhynchus'; this is a technical taxonomic formation unlikely to be transparent to an average learner.

Etymology

The word Ornithorhynchidae comes from Greek parts: ornitho- 'bird', rhynch- 'snout', and -idae 'family'. So it literally means the 'bird-snout' family, a useful image because the platypus has a duck-like bill and is the only member of this family.