What does the name Monotremata mean?
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platypus
The duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), or duckbill, is common in the waterways of eastern Australia.
The name Monotremata is derived from the Greek words mono-, meaning "one," and trema, meaning "hole" or "aperture."1
This term translates to "one-holed" and refers to the anatomical structure of these mammals, including the platypus and echidnas. Unlike other mammals, members of this order possess a single opening at the rear of the bodyāknown as a cloacaāwhich serves as the common exit for both reproduction and excretion.12