I just read tsuwm's notes on the ornithorynchus and was interested by the beetle that had first received the name of platypus thereby precluding the possibility of the duckbill's receiving the genus of platypus.

Question: How exactly does platypus break down etymologically?

And, tsuwm, thanks for this week of animal kingdom words. I wouldn't even mind a month of them!

Edit: Dr. Bill sent me this interesting link:

http://www.rentcomputers.com/platwhat.html#monotremata

Platypus means 'flat foot', and one keeps a platypus in a platypussary, if the link content is reliable.

platypussary

Pff. I'd rather coin platypodostasis. But that's just me.