tuatara
Sign in to saveThe tuatara (, ; Sphenodon punctatus) is a species of reptile endemic to New Zealand. Despite its close resemblance to lizards, it is the only extant member of a distinct lineage, the previously highly diverse order Rhynchocephalia. The name is derived from the Māori language and means "peaks on the back".
AI overview
The tuatara is a reptile found only in New Zealand that looks similar to a lizard but is actually the sole surviving member of an ancient and once-diverse group of animals called Rhynchocephalia. It matters because it represents a unique evolutionary lineage that has survived for millions of years, making it scientifically valuable for understanding reptile evolution and biodiversity.
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Species
Tuatara
species
Observations2,626
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Image
- Sphenodon punctatus in Waikanae, New Zealand.jpg
Show 5 more facts
- P183
- New Zealand
- P105
- genus
- P7603
- Appendix I of CITES
- P5008
Article
28 sectionsContents
- Taxonomy and evolution
- Species
- Description
- Skull
- Sensory organs
- Eyes
- Parietal eye (third eye)
- Hearing
- Odorant receptors
- Spine and ribs
- Tail and back
- Age determination
- Physiology
- Ecology
- Reproduction
- Genomic characteristics
- Conservation
- Distribution and threats
- Climate change
- Eradication of rats
- Brothers Island tuatara
- Northern tuatara
- Captive breeding
- Cultural significance
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
The tuatara (, ; Sphenodon punctatus) is a species of reptile endemic to New Zealand. Despite its close resemblance to lizards, it is the only extant member of a distinct lineage, the previously highly diverse order Rhynchocephalia. The name is derived from the Māori language and means "peaks on the back".
The single extant species of tuatara is the only surviving member of its order, which was highly diverse during the Mesozoic era. Rhynchocephalians first appeared in the fossil record during the Middle Triassic, around 244-241.5 million years ago, and reached worldwide distribution and peak diversity during the Jurassic, when they represented the world's dominant group of small reptiles. Rhynchocephalians declined during the Cretaceous, with their youngest records outside New Zealand dating to the Paleocene. Their closest living relatives are squamates (lizards and snakes). Tuatara are of interest for studying the evolution of reptiles.