Lizard-like tuatara carry two distinct mitochondrial genomes

This extra set of genes, never found in a vertebrate before, may help the reptile tolerate cold

A tuatara, which looks like a spiny lizard

Blood from a tuatara like this one revealed a genetic first for a vertebrate: The reptile has two distinct instruction books for mitochondrial DNA.

Bernard Spragg. NZ/Flickr

The lizard-like tuatara already was an oddball.