Tuatara

Tuatara are reptiles endemic to New Zealand. They are the only surviving members of the order Rhynchocephalia, which was well represented by many species during the age of the dinosaurs, some 200 million years ago. All species apart from the tuatara declined and eventually became extinct about 60 million years ago.

Anatomy and Morphology

Tuatara are greenish brown and gray, and measure up to 80 cm (31 in) from head to tail-tip and weigh up to 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) with a spiny crest along the back, especially pronounced in males. Their dentition, in which two rows of teeth in the upper jaw overlap one row on the lower jaw, is unique among living species.

Habitat and Distribution

Tuatara are endemic to New Zealand and were once widespread on the mainland. Today, they are found only on 32 offshore islands, free of mammals and are also breeding successfully on the mainland, in the heavily fenced and monitored sanctuaries.

Behavior and Ecology

Tuatara are nocturnal and omnivorous, eating a wide variety of food, including beetles, spiders, crickets, small lizards, and occasionally sea birds and their eggs. They are known to share their burrows with birds, allowing a form of mutualism to occur.

Conservation

The tuatara has been classified as an endangered species since 1895 (the second species, S. guntheri, was not recognized until 1989). Tuatara, like many of New Zealand's native animals, are threatened by habitat loss and the introduced Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans).

See also

• List of New Zealand reptiles
• List of Rhynchocephalia and Squamata

External links

• Tuatara Conservation

Tuatara Resources
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