Editing Platypus (section)

==== Disease ====
Platypuses generally suffer from few [[disease]]s in the wild; however, as of 2008 there was concern in Tasmania about the potential impacts of a disease caused by the fungus ''[[Mucor amphibiorum]]''. The disease (termed [[mucormycosis]]) affects only Tasmanian platypuses, and had not been observed in platypuses in mainland Australia. Affected platypuses can develop skin lesions or [[ulcer]]s on various parts of their bodies, including their backs, tails, and legs. Mucormycosis can kill platypuses, death arising from secondary infection and by affecting the animals' ability to maintain body temperature and forage efficiently. The Biodiversity Conservation Branch at the Department of Primary Industries and Water collaborated with NRM north and [[University of Tasmania]] researchers to determine the impacts of the disease on Tasmanian platypuses, as well as the mechanism of transmission and spread of the disease.<ref name="DPIW2">{{cite web|url=http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/SSKA-7AH66E?open |title=Platypus Fungal Disease |publisher=Department of Primary Industries and Water, Tasmania |date=29 August 2008 |access-date=29 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307100350/http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/SSKA-7AH66E?open |archive-date= 7 March 2008 }}</ref>