Tuatara Genome Reveals Diverse Insights into a Remarkable Reptile

LIFE

Rebecca N. Johnson

Nature | August 05, 2020

Figure 1 | A tuatara in New Zealand. Gemmell et al.⁴ have generated a high-quality genome sequence for the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus).Credit: Pete Oxford/NPL

A once-species-rich order of reptiles called the Rhynchocephalia lived across the globe during the time of the dinosaurs^1,2. Just one of these species survives today: the tuatara (Fig. 1). Found only in New Zealand, tuatara are a taonga (‘special treasure’) for Maori people. The reptiles have a set of intriguing traits — including longevity and an unusual combination of bird- and reptile-like morphological features³ — that have led to uncertainty over their place in the evolutionary tree. Writing in Nature, Gemmell et al.⁴ report the first whole-genome sequence for the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). The researchers’ study provides insights into the biology and evolution of this extraordinary animal.