Why are there so many species of beetles and so few crocodiles?

There are more than 400,000 species of beetles and only two species of the tuatara, a reptile cousin of snakes and lizards that lives in New Zealand. Crocodiles and alligators, while nearly 250 million years old, have diversified into only 23 species. Why evolution has produced "winners"—including mammals and many species of birds and fish—and "losers" is a major question in evolutionary biology.

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