A Tuatara on the Forest Floor (IMAGE)

European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute

A Tuatara on the Forest Floor

Caption

International scientists and Ngātiwai, a Māori tribe, teamed up to sequence the genome of a rare reptile, the tuatara, uncovering some unique aspects of the tuatara's evolution. The genome sequence will enable comparative studies to better understand the evolution of the tuatara and its distant relatives: other reptiles, birds, and mammals. Shedding light on the tuatara's biology will help protect this vulnerable species.

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Bernard Spragg (Flickr, CC0)

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