Major Evolutionary Events in Reptiles (Including Birds)

爬行动物（包括鸟类）主要类群的进化模式将利用多个（bbb6）核基因结合现有表型和（主要是线粒体）遗传特征的新信息来解决。这将同时解决几个备受关注的问题，例如：海龟、蛇和不会飞的鸟的起源和亲缘关系；以及由幼体发育和化石性产生的表型趋同的流行。多种遗传和表型数据集还将揭示遗传和表型进化之间的广泛联系（例如，速率相关性），以及核基因、线粒体基因和表型性状的不同能力，以跟踪（并因此反映）深层进化分支。

Evolutionary patterns among the major groups of reptiles (including birds) will be resolved using new information from multiple (>6) nuclear genes combined with existing phenotypic and (mainly mitochondrial) genetic traits. This will simultaneously resolve several high-profile questions, such as: the origin and affinities of turtles, snakes and flightless birds; and the prevalence of phenotypic convergence generated by paedomorphosis and fossoriality. The multiple genetic and phenotypic data sets will also reveal any broad links between genetic and phenotypic evolution (e.g. rate correlations), and the differing abilities of nuclear genes, mitochondrial genes, and phenotypic traits to track (and thus reflect) deep evolutionary branchings.