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Platypus provides hints about mammalian evolution

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From “Platypus helps shed new light on mammalian evolution” (Physorg, Oct 20), we learn:

“We have seen many genome sequencing projects over the past decade but until now nobody has tackled the big question of how the regulation of genes has changed during 200 million years of mammalian evolution,” Dr Grützner says.

“In some tissues more changes have occurred than in others. For example, in the brain we observed fewer changes compared to the testes, suggesting that changes were more subtle in the brain.”

Ours sex chromosomes are said to have emerged after the monotremes separated from other mammals. Why? From New Scientist

But in platypuses, XXXXXXXXXX creates a female, while XYXYXYXYXY creates a male. In other words, rather than a single chromosome pair, platypuses have a set of ten-chromosomes that determine their sex.

Not the usual XX vs. XY stuff of mammals.

Here’s a look at the platypus up close:

Comments
Relevant: 48,XXYY Syndromerhampton7
October 24, 2011
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They don't known gentics changed before the montremes separated from other "mammals". They presume that because they presume they separated as part of a evolutionary story. It simply is a function of the change these creatures endured in becoming egg laying and so on. i think they are just adjusted otters etc. They are not very different from other creatures. rather there is a human conviction that reproduction should define creatures to a great extent. its no big deal they lay eggs. anymore then its a big deal marsupials don't use a placentas. In fact recently they found a skink who does have a placenta. Snakes birth the young by eggs or live. The platypus is not a strange aberation to hang theories on but simply a revelation of a greater equation of classification of biology. Don't group creatures based on minor points of reproduction. Nor on genetics. A dead end if biological adaptation is quick and easy. Group creatures based on morphology and look carefully to make groups inclusive.Robert Byers
October 23, 2011
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