Turtles more closely related to birds than lizards and snakes, genetic evidence shows

[News Bot]

Having recently looked at more than a thousand of the least-changed regions in the genomes of turtles and their closest relatives, biologists have confirmed that turtles are most closely related to crocodilians and birds rather than to lizards, snakes, and tuataras.

Published On: 24-May-12 11:03 AM
Source: ScienceDaily

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[-Peter]

B@9#$^!t.
Never believe the Birdoes.

[GeckPhotographer]

New evidence for old news.

[-Peter]

As turtles evolutionarily precede birds its the otherway round isn't it. Birds are just feathered reptiles.

[GeckPhotographer]

As turtles evolutionarily precede birds its the otherway round isn't it. Birds are just feathered reptiles.

Yes this is the correct cladistical representation and has been for many years. (Unless of course you are one of the people debating that birds did not evolve from dinosaurs.)

So if any Ornithologist tells you that Herpetology should be folded into Ornithology the reply is "Actually Ornithology is already folded into Herpetology, but we let you have another name because we don't want you either. "

[GeckPhotographer]

xkcd: Herpetology The first panel may be wrong but the second is amazing.