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 long
Also 1.64 ft
Representative total length · representative
Typical recorded range: 40 cm to 63 cm.
A little perspective
About the same scale as Meerkat.
Meerkat: A meerkat is a small, social mammal from southern Africa that lives in cooperative groups and forages for insects and other small animals.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Platypus
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
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.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 50 cm
For comparison, this page uses representative total length. This is labelled representative; the central value is useful for comparison, while real values or measurement solutions 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 named feature; transparent margins and unmeasured details do not alter it. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Platypus 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
Go smaller. Go bigger.
These links use compatible length records, ordered around the selected value.
Nearest lower value · Living thingsCat46 cmA cat is a small domesticated mammal with a flexible body, retractable claws and highly developed senses.
Around the same scale · Living thingsMeerkat50 cmA meerkat is a small, social mammal from southern Africa that lives in cooperative groups and forages for insects and other small animals.
Nearest higher value · Living thingsAlligator snapping turtle60 cmThe 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.
Living thingsCapybara1.15 mA capybara is the largest living rodent, native to South America and adapted to semi-aquatic habitats.Living thingsMeerkat50 cmA meerkat is a small, social mammal from southern Africa that lives in cooperative groups and forages for insects and other small animals.
PeopleHuman femur45 cmThe human femur is the thigh bone, connecting the hip to the knee and supporting body weight during movement.
SpaceSputnik 158 cmSputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite launched into Earth orbit by the Soviet Union in 1957.
SportBoomerang40 cmA boomerang is a curved, flat tool traditionally used for sport or hunting, designed to return to the thrower when thrown correctly.
ContainersSamovar urn5 LA samovar urn is a traditional metal vessel used to heat and serve tea, especially in Russian and Central Asian cultures.
Everyday thingsA2 paper59.4 cmA2 paper is an ISO 216 paper format produced by halving an A1 sheet across its longer side.
PeopleHuman torso60 cmThe human torso is the central part of the body between the shoulders and hips, containing most major internal organs.