The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) is a species of reptile endemic to New Zealand. Despite its close resemblance to lizards, it is part of a distinct lineage, the order Rhynchocephalia. [8] The name tuatara is derived from the Māori language and means "peaks on the back". [9]

2025年1月9日 · tuatara, (Sphenodon puntatus), a species of moderately large lizardlike reptiles endemic to New Zealand, specifically to North Island, roughly 30 islets off the island’s northeast coast, and a handful of islets in the Cook Strait.

Tuatara are a rare reptile found only in New Zealand. They are the last survivors of an order of reptiles that thrived in the age of the dinosaurs. Found in: Tuatara once lived throughout mainland New Zealand but now only survive in the wild on 32 islands. Threats: Rats, mice, habitat destruction, poaching, low genetic diversity.

The Tuatara is a reptile of the family Sphenodontidae, endemic to New Zealand. The two species of tuatara are the only surviving members of the Sphenodontians who flourished around 200 million years ago.

A unique reptile: Not too many creatures can claim to be “one of a kind,” but that’s a boast the tuatara can make. In fact, the tuatara is among the most unusual wildlife in the world. Although it looks like a lizard, it really is quite different.

Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) are reptiles endemic to New Zealand. The name tuatara 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. Their closest living relatives are squamates (lizards and snakes).

What is a Tuatara? A tuatara is a reptile that looks like a lizard but belongs to a completely different family. It is the last remaining species in the order Rhynchocephalia, which was abundant during the time of the dinosaurs before all other species died out around 60 million years ago.

2017年12月3日 · New Zealand’s Tuatara is one of the strangest and most unique creatures on Earth, and the fact that it’s the last of its kind in a lineage as old as the first dinosaurs is just the beginning. The bulk of the population lives across seven islands in Cook Strait, located between the main North and South Islands of New Zealand. There are about ...

2018年5月1日 · Tuatara facts, pictures, video & information. Habitat, conservation, diet, threats. The tuatara is a living relic of the past. Although the species resembles a large lizard, it is in fact a member of Sphenodontia – a group of reptiles that split from the snakes and lizards millions of …

2024年5月27日 · The tuatara is an animal native to New Zealand, and it is the country’s largest reptile. Males can grow to be nearly three feet in length, and adult females typically grow to be about two feet long.