What's the deal with platypuses? What family are they from?

It is in a family all to itself. The ornithorhynchidae family.

Thanks!

platypi

Actually, @psyonicpanda, I looked up the plural. Apparently, platypuses works.

The Platypus
I like the duck-billed platypus
Because it is anomalous.
I like the way it raises its family
Partly birdly, partly mammaly.
I like its independent attitude.
Let no one call it a duck-billed platitude.
by Ogden Nash

both works. you are correct. I just put that because Platypuses sound funny saying it aloud

Platypuses are monotremes, which are a kind of mammal. So they belong to the order monotremata of the class mammalia of phylum chordata (animals with backbones).

I assume that’s what you mean by the informal term “family” in your question. The modern platypus belongs to the scientific family Ornithorhynchidae, within monotremata.

Monotremes include platypuses and echidnas, though there is some controversy about whether these belong to separate orders. See the Wikipedia article.

Interesting side note. The duck-billed platypus produces a venom from spurs behind it’s hind legs. The poison isn’t actually lethal but is amazingly painful.

Interesting that they look a bit like baby rhinos with a duck bill in the picture you have linked.

What @gasman said and they are very cute. Males have poisonous spurs on their back legs. they are still cute though.