Their bills detect vibrations in riverbeds, allowing them to locate buried prey. Mechanoreceptors in the bill sense minute disturbances in sand or gravel. Platypuses sweep their bills across the substrate to uncover worms and larvae. This allows foraging even when prey is hidden. Combined with electroreception, this ability is highly precise. Juveniles quickly learn to interpret these tactile signals. It increases hunting success in turbid or sediment-rich waters.
Sensitivity to substrate vibrations enhances hunting efficiency.
It allows platypuses to find prey invisible to other predators.
Mechanoreceptors help detect prey under sand or gravel.
Smithsonian National Zoo (si.edu)