[Lexicog] Neither fish nor fowl

[Fritz Goerling]

A while ago definitions and names for a 'bat' in different languages were
mentioned on this list. An even stranger animal that does not fit any
category or has characteristics of a number of categories is the platypus,
also known as duckbilled platypus or duckmole or duckbill in English. Its
genome was recently decoded, see

 

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/nsf-pgd050708.php

 

As an egg-laying mammal that has characteristics in common with birds and
reptiles, it is a challenge for dictionary-makers. In German it is called
Schnabeltier (= beak animal). How is it called in other languages?

 

Fritz Goerling

 

 

 

 

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