Ornithorhynchus anatinus

(G. K. Shaw, 1799)

Platypus

Taxonomy

Subclass : Yinotheria
Infraclass : Australosphenida
Order : Monotremata
Family : Ornithorhynchidae
Genus : Ornithorhynchus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Shaw, G.K. 1799-06. [Fascicle CXVIII]. Pp. pl. 385–pl. 388 in Shaw, G.K. 1798-1799. The Naturalist's Miscellany: or, coloured figures of natural objects; drawn and described immediately from nature. Vol. 10. Nodder, London, not continuously paginated pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59339864

Original name as described

Platypus anatinus

Other common names

Duck-billed Platypus

Type material

BMNH:Mamm:1979.2184

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/76a5b996-a277-43e8-8ab0-dd9914731301

Type locality

"In Australasia." Restricted to "New Holland (= Sydney), New South Wales, Australia" or the "coastal region of New South Wales" by numerous authors, although this type locality appears to have been erroneously restricted.

Biogeographic realm

Australasia

Country distribution

Australia

Subregion distribution

Australia(QLD,NSW,VIC,TAS)

Distribution notes

E Australia from NE Queensland through W New South Wales and Victoria, including King I and Tasmania. Distribution is primarily continuous within some catchments but dicontinuous or poorly known in others. Extinct in the Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia and may be extinct in various catchments throughout the rest of their distribution (Hawke et al., 2019). Introduced to E Kangaroo I.

Distribution references

Hawke, T., Bino, G., & Kingsford, R. T. (2019). A silent demise: historical insights into population changes of the iconic platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Global Ecology and Conservation, 20, e00720.

IUCN Red List status

Near Threatened

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000001

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Ornithorhynchus anatinus triton

O. Thomas, 1923

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

triton

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1884.5.15.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/299b7065-52ad-41c9-bcca-9dee8934ccd8

Authority page

178

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34355420

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorhynchus anatinus phoxinus

O. Thomas, 1923

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

phoxinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1922.12.18.60

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/73ccf339-d80d-4a2d-8ac9-d878fbea9f95

Authority page

176

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34355418

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Platypus anatinus

(G. K. Shaw, 1799)

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

anatinus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1979.2184

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/76a5b996-a277-43e8-8ab0-dd9914731301

Authority page

pl. 385 (unnumbered p. 1)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59339864

Authority publication

London

Ornithorhynchus paradoxus

Blumenbach, 1800

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

paradoxus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1979.2184

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/76a5b996-a277-43e8-8ab0-dd9914731301

Authority page

205

Authority publication

Magazin für den Neuesten Zustand der Naturkunde

Name usages

  1. Fischer (1814:xxiv, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130085) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  2. Lesson (1842:196) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)
  3. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorincus Rufus

Péron, 1807

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

rufus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN-ZM-AC-A3316

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

pl. 34 (fig. 2)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30581332

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorhynchus agilis

De Vis, 1885

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

agilis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

QM F706, QM F707

Type kind

syntypes

Authority page

2, col. 6

Authority publication

The Daily Observer

Ornithorincus Fuscus

Péron, 1807

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

fuscus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

pl. 34 (fig. 1)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30581332

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorynchus crispus

W. MacGillivray, 1832

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

crispus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

128

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46959504

Authority publication

Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorhynchus fuscus

Illiger, 1815

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

fuscus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

102

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080958

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

Illiger (1815:102, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080958) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)

Ornithorhynchus rufus

Illiger, 1815

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

rufus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

102

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080958

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

Illiger (1815:102, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080958) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)

Ornithorhyncus paradoxus

Lesson, 1827

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

paradoxus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

319

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207786

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:319, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207786) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Ornithorhynchus anatinus

E. Blyth, 1863

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

anatinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

186

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534867

Authority publication

Calcutta

Name usages

  1. Blyth (1863:186, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534867) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)
  2. Corbet & Hill (1980:7) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  3. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:17, 18) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  4. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)
  5. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:8) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  6. Mittermeier & Wilson (2015:67) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59410)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #40488) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  8. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #40488) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  9. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000001) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  10. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/40488/21964009) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Ornithorynchus novae Hollandiae

de Lacépède, 1800

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

novaehollandiae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

78

Authority publication

Séances des écoles normales, recueillies par des sténographes, et revues par les professeurs

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorhynchus paradoxus

Meckel, 1826

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

paradoxus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

subsequent_usage

Authority page

1

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49470893

Authority publication

Leipzig

Ornithorynchus lævis

W. MacGillivray, 1832

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

laevis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

132

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46959508

Authority publication

Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

Ornithorhynchus brevirostris

W. Ogilby, 1832

Family

Ornithorhynchidae

Root name

brevirostris

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

150

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12861560

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8560)

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