Ornithorhynchidae
Ornithorhyncidae is one of two families in the order
Monotremata, and contains all species of
platypus. (The other family is the Tachyglossidae, or
echidnas). Within Ornithorhynchidae are two
genera,
Obdurodon and
Ornithorhynchus:
- Family Ornithorhynchidae\n**Genus Obdurodon -- an ancient branch of the platypus family\n***Species Obdurodon dicksoni (extinct)\n***Species Obdurodon insignis (extinct)\n***Species Obdurodon/Monotrematum sudamericanum (extinct)\n**Genus Ornithorhynchus\n***Species Ornithorhynchus anatinus (alive but threatened: the modern platypus)
Another two genera,
Steropodon and
Teinolophos may also be part of the family Ornithorhynchidae. However, they are both very ancient, and scientific literature seems to indicate that they are closely related to, but not a part of, the Ornithorhynchids.