Tuatara is in many ways a special reptile that is unlike all of its relatives.
Outwardly, this rare reptile is very similar to iguanas or lizards, but the first impression is deceptive. The Tuatara is in many ways a special reptile unlike any of its relatives.
He has many quirks, but the most important is his unique genes. Recent studies show that the tuatara is not only different from its relatives, but also completely distant from all organisms currently living on Earth.
Gateria or Tuatara survived only in one place on the planet. These are 35 small islands that belong to New Zealand and are located near the North Island.
This is a fairly large reptile, the size of which reaches an average of 0.5 meters. On the back of the hateria there are peculiar spikes similar to crocodiles, and on the head the parietal eye is well developed, a specific organ, the purpose of which is not entirely clear.
It is known that this eye is able to capture light and participate in thermoregulation, but the mechanisms underlying its activity are still unclear to scientists.
But the most remarkable thing is its life cycle. Only reaching the breeding season at 15 years of age or even later does the tuatara live an amazingly long life.
During the period when the tuatara matures, many of its relatives already have time to leave more than one generation and even die.
Scientists have found that the tuatara genome is 50% larger than the human genome, and this collection of genes is amazing and unlike anything else.
This animal shares 4% genes with reptiles, 1% with placental mammals, and 10% with Australian egg-laying animals, echidnas and platypuses. This is very interesting and shows the specific evolutionary path of this species.
