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  • Rapid molecular evolution in a living fossil

    Author(s)
    Hay, Jennifer M
    Subramanian, Sankar
    Millar, Craig D
    Mohandesan, Elmira
    Lambert, David M
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Lambert, David M.
    Sankarasubramanian, Sankar
    Year published
    2008
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    The tuatara of New Zealand is a unique reptile that coexisted with dinosaurs and has changed little morphologically from its Cretaceous relatives. Tuatara have very slow metabolic and growth rates, long generation times and slow rates of reproduction. This suggests that the species is likely to exhibit a very slow rate of molecular evolution. Our analysis of ancient and modern tuatara DNA shows that, surprisingly, tuatara have the highest rate of molecular change recorded in vertebrates. Our work also suggests that rates of neutral molecular and phenotypic evolution are decoupled.The tuatara of New Zealand is a unique reptile that coexisted with dinosaurs and has changed little morphologically from its Cretaceous relatives. Tuatara have very slow metabolic and growth rates, long generation times and slow rates of reproduction. This suggests that the species is likely to exhibit a very slow rate of molecular evolution. Our analysis of ancient and modern tuatara DNA shows that, surprisingly, tuatara have the highest rate of molecular change recorded in vertebrates. Our work also suggests that rates of neutral molecular and phenotypic evolution are decoupled.
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    Journal Title
    Trends in Genetics
    Volume
    24
    Issue
    3
    Publisher URI
    http://www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/405918
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2007.12.002
    Subject
    Molecular Evolution
    Biological Sciences
    Medical and Health Sciences
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/26651.1
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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