Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal native to eastern Australia, notable for its duck-like bill and egg-laying reproduction.
Also known as: duck-billed platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus
How big is it?
50 cm · representative total length
Also 1.64 ft
Representative total length · representative
Typical recorded range: 40 cm to 63 cm.
A little perspective
Platypus vs Meerkat: length comparison
The total length of a platypus is approximately equal to the head-and-body length of a meerkat.
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal native to eastern Australia, notable for its duck-like bill and egg-laying reproduction.
A meerkat is a small, social mammal from southern Africa that lives in cooperative groups and forages for insects and other small animals.
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Platypus
Representative total length: 50 cm; representative; range 40 cm–63 cm.
A representative adult platypus 50 cm from bill to tail and 1.5 kg. Sex and population affect size, and the broad tail is included in total length.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — Platypus
The marked representative total length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Meerkat
Head-and-body length: 50 cm; representative; range 42 cm–60 cm.
A representative adult meerkat with 50 cm head-and-body length and 750 g mass. The long tail is excluded from the selected body span.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — Meerkat
The marked head-and-body length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 50 cm
We compare the total length of a platypus. This is a representative comparison value; individual specimens or conditions can vary. The recorded range is 40 cm to 63 cm.
A representative adult platypus 50 cm from bill to tail and 1.5 kg. Sex and population affect size, and the broad tail is included in total length.
The marked horizontal span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 cm | 40 cm to 63 cm | representative | |
| 1.5 kg | 700 g to 2.5 kg | representative |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueLiving thingsCat46 cmBody lengthA cat is a small domesticated mammal with a flexible body, retractable claws and highly developed senses.
Around the same scaleLiving thingsMeerkat50 cmHead-and-body lengthA meerkat is a small, social mammal from southern Africa that lives in cooperative groups and forages for insects and other small animals.
Nearest higher valueLiving thingsAlligator snapping turtle60 cmDefined straight carapace lengthThe alligator snapping turtle is a freshwater turtle from the southeastern United States, distinguished by its spiked shell and powerful jaws.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — PlatypusAdult body dimensions and mass vary by sex; a 50 cm, 1.5 kg representative specimen is used.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
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