On land, platypuses walk with partially curled toes, using a knuckle-like motion to protect webbing. This allows stable movement across muddy or uneven banks. The adaptation prevents wear on webbing used for swimming. Combined with tail support, platypuses move efficiently on land despite aquatic specialization. This helps with burrow excavation and nest maintenance. Locomotion is slower than swimming but highly effective for survival. It demonstrates a rare dual-adapted gait in mammals.
Land movement adaptations balance aquatic specialization.
Knuckle-walking allows platypuses to exploit riverbank resources.
Locomotion versatility is crucial for semi-aquatic mammals.
National Geographic (nationalgeographic.com)