def read_exitron_file(filename):
    """


    Parameters
    ----------
    filename : str
        path to exitron file.

    Returns
    -------
    List of dictionaries, where each dict is an exitron record.

    """
    exitrons = []
    with open(filename) as f:
        header = f.readline().rstrip().split('\t')
        for line in f:
            exitron = {}
            entries = line.rstrip().split('\t')
            for col, ent in zip(header, entries):
                exitron[col] = ent
            exitrons.append(exitron)
    return exitrons