Unlike other mammals the Monotreme (order Montremata) lay eggs and have no teats. Milk is provided for their young via secretion by the many pores on the female’s belly.

Today, there are 5 living species of Monotremes:

  • Duck-billed Platypus
  • Short-beaked Echidna
  • Sir David’s Long-beaked Echidna
  • Eastern Long-beaked Echidna
  • Western Long-beaked Echidna
Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Coles Bay, Tasmania
Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Coles Bay, Tasmania
Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Coles Bay, Tasmania
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Infraclass: Australosphenida
  • Order: Monotremata
  • Subgroups:
    • Ornithorhynchidae
    • Tachyglossidae

The listed subgroups does not include the extinct groups.

Footnote & References

  1. Monotreme, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotreme (last visited July 16, 2021).

MonotremeShort-beaked Echidna