Feathered turtles?

Despite the fact that no extant reptile species have feathers, and that the only extinct flying reptiles, the pterosaurs had membranous wings, evolutionists assert that several dinosaur species had feathers. They go so far as to claim that birds are feathered dinosaurs. Evolutionists point to collagenous filaments in fossil remains of dinosaurs to support their theory.

But what do the genes say? Is it possible for reptiles such as dinosaurs or other groups, such as crocodiles (crocodiles, alligators and gharials), which are considered to be archosaurs along with dinosaurs and birds to have feathers based on genetic evidence? A study from recent years indicated that 193 keratin and non-keratin genes are associated with the formation of feathers in chicken.

One could then ask, what is the distribution of these genes in extant reptile species? How are these genes regulated between birds and reptiles? The results show that there are many common genes regarding feather and scale formation between birds and reptiles. Not all reptiles have all the genes necessary for feather formation. Furthermore, if they did, these genes would also have to be regulated at the same time and place in order to transform scales into reptiles. Interestingly, turtles are the most enriched in feather-associated genes, in contrast with crocodiles, which are considered archosaurs along with birds by evolutionists. Thus, feather formation does not appear to be characteristic of the alleged archosaurian lineages going back to dinosaurs.

Also, the regulatory regions of some feather-associated genes shared between birds and reptiles show that some genes appear to undergo similar regulation, but other genes appear to undergo divergent regulation.