Tuatara

The tuatara is a reptile endemic to New Zealand which, though it resembles most lizards, is actually part of a distinct lineage, order Sphenodontia. The two species of tuatara are the only surviving members of its order, which flourished around 200 million years ago. More

over 2 lb (1 kg), tuataras have two pairs of well-developed limbs, a scaly crest down the neck and back, a third eyelid that closes horizontally, and a pineal eye between the two normal eyes. A bony arch behind the eyes distinguishes tuataras from lizards. More

• Like some lizards, a tuatara can regrow a lost tail. • A female tuatara’s spines aren’t as big as a male’s. A male can fan out his spines to attract a female. More

The Tuatara "lizard" has survived all that time. It is not really a lizard. The Kiwi, a flightless bird, is a symbol of New Zealand. More

First tuatara nest found in 200 years "The first confirmed tuatara nest in over 200 years on mainland New Zealand has been discovered at the Karori Sanctuary in Wellington... More

Experimental band Tuatara is proud to announce the upcoming release of its first collaboration with esteemed poet and Rumi scholar Coleman Barks. The album, titled "The Here And The Gone" will be released worldwide on November 18th on Fast Horse Recordings. More

The tuatara is a reptile of the family Sphenodontidae, endemic to New Zealand. The two species are the only surviving members of the Sphenodontians. The tuataras resemble lizards, but are equally related to lizards and snakes, which are their closest living relatives. More

Tuatara: Conservation priority in a phylogenetic context Wayne P. Maddison & Arne Ø. Mooers Version 1. More

surviving members of the rhynchocephalid reptiles, tuataras are in fact very advanced. Meaning of scientific name Sphenodon = "wedge-toothed". Punctatus = "spotted" Life span Tuatara live at least 35 years and possibly as long as 60. More

The tuatara is unique to New Zealand. The similarity in morphology to other Sphenodontians from 200 million years ago suggests a evolutionary conserved species. More

The tuatara is a reptile, the only surviving member of Rhynchocephalia, or Sphenodontia/Sphenodontida. More

* The tuatara is native to New Zealand * It is the sole survivor of the beak-heads which is a group of very ancient reptiles * The tuatara is the most ancient of More

Our tuatara are made from a resin by Greg who lives on Waiheke Island, a 35 minute ferry ride from Auckland... Greg got inspired while visiting his friends restaurant 'Tuatara' in Auckland... More

Tuatara is a Seattle-based instrumental music group featuring members of R.E.M., The Minus 5, Critters Buggin, and the Screaming Trees. History - The band was formed in 1996 by R.E.M. More

Tuatara is one of the more surprising and slightly ridiculous supergroups in rock history. Comprised of Peter Buck (R.E.M. More

Tuatara is a reptile found in New Zealand and represented by two living species Sphenodon punctatus and Sphenodon guntheri. The word "tuatara" is derived from the language of the Maori people (indigenous people of New Zealand), which means spine-bearer. More

Tuatara quickly emerged on the international music scene and has remained one of the most innovative and original music groups of the alternative music explosion. More

The tuatara is found only on several islands off the coast of New Zealand. Stocky and big-headed with a strong tail and a spiny crest down the back, it differs from lizards in having a bony arch on the skull behind the eye. More

tuataratuatara - only extant member of the order Rhynchocephalia of large spiny lizard-like diapsid reptiles of coastal islands off New ZealandSphenodon punctatumdiapsid, diapsid reptile - reptile having a pair of openings in the skull behind each eyegenus Sphenodon, Sphenodon - coextensive with the order More

Unlike most reptiles tuatara have adapted to live in a cold environment. On Stephens Island tuatara are active in night air temperatures of 6-18°C. This is quite different to other reptiles whose body temperatures may reach 45°C (although not New Zealand reptiles). More

The tuatara is an endangered reptile native to New Zealand. More

* A Tuatara has a very long life span and could probably have over 100 birthdays. More

Tuatara means "old spiny back" in Maori. Tuatara have a primitive body structure that supports the theory that they are one of the oldest and most un-evolved species, having hardly changed in the past 220 million years. More

tuatara on forest floor thumbnail link tuatara eating fairy prion thumbnail link Sphenodon punctatus female tuatara headshot thumbnail link Sphenodon punctatus Tuatara eating weta thumbnail link - Sphenodon punctatus Tuatara More

Unlike lizards, the tuatara does not have an external tympanum, femoral pores (series of small openings which some lizards have on the underside of the thighs), and paired evertible hemipenes which are characteristics of lizards. More

Common names

Hatteria in English - English
tuatara in English - English
гаттерия in Russian - русский язык
Туатара in Russian - русский язык