Scientists map Tasmanian tiger genes
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Scientists have detailed a significant proportion of the genes found in the extinct Tasmanian tiger, according to a BBC report. The international team extracted the information from the hair of preserved animal remains held in Swedish and US museums.
The information has allowed scientists to confirm the tiger’s evolutionary relationship to other marsupials.
“Looking at the genetic diversity in a population is a key marker for endangerment and it should be used to assess the urgency of preservation,” Professor Stephan Schuster of Penn State University told BBC News.
The tiger was dog-like in appearance and striped like a big cat – but in evolutionary terms, it had little in common with either, and was more closely related to kangaroos and koalas.
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