Australian platypus genome a link to evolution - scientists

By Michael Perry

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's unique duck-billed platypus -- an egg-laying, furry animal with web feet that spends most of its time underwater -- is infact part bird, part reptile and part mammal according to its gene map.

A team of international scientists released the playtpus genome on Thursday, saying its complex sequence will aid the study of human evolution -- particularly the development of the immune, nervous and reproductive systems.

"You see genes that look reptile-like, genes that look bird-like and genes that look mammal-like. Its a pretty amazing picture," said Rick Wilson, director of The Genome Center at Washington University in St Louis.

"The fascinating mix of features in the platypus genome provides many clues to the function and evolution of all mammalian genomes," Wilson, who directed the platypus genome report published in the journal Nature, said in an interview.

"It helps you understand the animal in question but it helps you understand where our genes came from and what we may have lost a long time ago," he said.

When the platypus was first discovered English scientists regarded it to be an Australian joke, thinking someone had stuck a duck's bill and feet onto an otter-like animal.

The platypus is classified as a mammal because it produces milk, suckles its young and is covered in fur, but it also lays eggs like a bird or reptile and males have poisonous spurs on their hind legs like a reptile.

The platypus represents the earliest offshoot of the mammalian lineage, some 166 million years ago, from primitive ancestors that had features of both mammals and reptiles.