⏰ when
When was the platypus first scientifically described by Europeans?
MammalsHistory
Quick Answer
The platypus was first described scientifically in 1799, and a formal name followed in 1800.
The Full Story
European scientists first encountered the platypus in the late 1790s, and George Shaw published a scientific description in 1799. Because the animal seemed so bizarre, some naturalists initially suspected it was a hoax. The genus name Ornithorhynchus was established soon afterward, in 1800. Today the platypus is one of the most famous examples of an unusual mammal.
Key Facts
1.first scientific description in 1799
2.George Shaw named it
3.formal genus established in 1800
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"The animal so strange people thought it was fake"