SYDNEY, Australia -- With a bill like a duck, a tail like a beaver and snake-like venom hidden in heel spurs, the platypus could be the result of some strange genetic experiment.
And it is, scientists say: Evolution.
A scientific team published the genetic makeup of the Australian animal in the scientific journal Nature on Thursday, confirming that its features -- which straddle multiple animal classes -- are reflected in its DNA.
They say the research could help explain how mammals, including humans, evolved from reptiles millions of years ago.
More than 100 scientists from the United States, Australia, Japan and other countries took part in mapping the genome.
"At first glance, the platypus appears as if it was the result of an evolutionary accident," said Francis S. Collins, director of the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute, which funded the study.
Jenny Graves, an Australian National University genomics expert who co-wrote the paper, said the gene sequencing shows the platypus has a mix that crosses different classifications of animals.
The platypus is classed as a mammal because it has fur and feeds its young with milk. But it also has bird and reptile features: It lays eggs, has a duck-like bill and webbed feet, and it lives mostly underwater. Males also have spurs on their heels that inject pain-causing venom to ward off mating rivals.
Scientists believe the platypus and humans shared an evolutionary path until about 165 million years ago when the platypus branched off.
By comparing platypus genes to those of humans and other mammals, scientists hope to fill in the gaps about mammals' evolution and better identify species' specific traits.
-- The Associated Press
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