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tuatara

    Kingdom: Animalia
    Division: Chordata
    Subdivision: Vertebrata
    Class: Reptilia
    Order: Rhynchocephalia

Tuatara

Tuatara on forest floor Tuatara eating weta, a large insect of New Zealand Tuatara female Tuatara eating fairy prion, a small bird of New Zealand
Tuatara on forest floor [Copyright: Dr. Paddy Ryan, Ryan Photographic] Tuatara eating weta, a large insect of New Zealand [Copyright: Dr. Paddy Ryan, Ryan Photographic] Tuatara female [Copyright: Dr. Paddy Ryan, Ryan Photographic] Tuatara eating a fairy prion, a small bird of New Zealand [Copyright: Dr. Paddy Ryan, Ryan Photographic]

What are Tuatara?

Tuatara are members of the taxon Rhynchocephalia and are most closely related to squamates (i.e., amphisbaenians, lizards, and snakes). Like squamates, tuatara are elongate and shed skin in large fragments. Unlike squamates, tuatara lack paired hemipenes (male copulatory organs).

The common name "tuatara" comes from Maori words meaning "spines on back," in reference to the crest on the backs of males and females. Tuatara have a lizard-like appearance: both groups are elongate with four limbs (most lizards) and both lizards and tuatara are known to shed their tails (caudal autotomy). The groups diverge, however, on the presence or lack of a paired hemipenes, the morphology of the teeth and skull, and other important features. Tuatara are long-lived species, reaching sexual maturity at about 20 years. Two species of tuatara, Sphenodon guntheri and Sphenodon punctatus, are located in New Zealand, and are the only species known to exist.

References for Tuatara

Tuatara Resources
Showing 7 Results
CollapseNative Animals: Tuatara
Description: Information about the endangered tuatara: facts, threats, New Zealand Department of Conservation's work, and ways you can help.
Resource Type: Fact Sheets
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC)
CollapseObservations on the Epidermis of the Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)
Description: Abstract: "The present study of the epidermis of Sphenodon was undertaken to establish whether units comparable to the squamate epidermal generations existed in this genus, and if so, to what extent their structure resembled that of the squamate homologue."
Resource Type: Journal Articles
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Journal of Anatomy, PubMed Central, United States National Institutes of Health
CollapseReptile and Amphibian Communities in the United States (PDF, 42 pp., 598 KB)
Description: This paper includes a general overview of amphibians and reptiles followed by issues involving amphibians and reptiles including their domestication; use in medicine; international trade; and federal and state regulations.
Resource Type: Issue Overviews
Resource Format: PDF
Publisher: Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, United States Department of Agriculture
CollapseRyan Photographic - Sphenodon punctatus tuatara
Description: Photo collection of live tuataras from the Pacific Islands.
Resource Type: Image Galleries
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Ryan Photographic
CollapseSociety for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Description: Established in 1958, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) "is the largest international herpetological society, and is recognized worldwide for having the most diverse program of publications, meetings, and other activities." The SSAR website contains resources for professional and amateur herpetologists alike. The site provides information about SSAR officers and editors, committees, membership, annual meetings, publications, grants, and awards. The site also contains guidelines for submitting to the Journal of Herpetology and the Herpetological Review. Notably, members of the SSAR community provide a free (pre-submission)Manuscript Review Service for herpetologists "whose first language is not English, but who are striving to publish their findings in peer reviewed English language journals." Site visitors interested in reptile and amphibian conservation should be sure to check out the SSAE Conservation Committee page.
Resource Type: Non-profit Agencies
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
CollapseTuatara Captive Management Plan and Husbandry Manual
Description: Abstract: "The management of captive tuatara has, in recent years, played a crucial role in enabling the recovery of relict populations, aiding conservation-related research, and founding new wild populations as well as raising public awareness of these issues. This document has been produced for the Department of Conservation, the Australasian Species Management Programme, the captive management coordinator, and the holders of captive tuatara. It is a guide to how these animals may best be managed to promote the conservation goals contained in the Tuatara Recovery Plan. It should be read in conjunction with the attached Tuatara Husbandry Manual."
Resource Type: Management Plans and Reports, Manuals
Resource Format: PDF
Publisher: New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC)
CollapseTuatara Diary
Description: Egg hatchings and other events in the lives of Southland Museum and Art Gallery's captive-bred tuataras.
Resource Type: Announcements and News Articles
Resource Format: URL
Publisher: Southland Museum and Art Gallery

Species Spotlight

Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)
Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) [Copyright: Dr. Paddy Ryan, Ryan Photographic]

Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus

Description: Grey, olive, or reddish skin. Mass ranges from 0.40 to 1 kg (0.88 to 2.2 lbs). Male tuataras have a crest at the back of the neck, and another crest in the middle of the back. Tuatara can live for over 100 years.

Habitat: Cold and damp, with temperatures typically approaching freezing and humidity about 80 percent. Island homes are cliff-bound and often subjected to strong winds.

Distribution: Islands off the coast of New Zealand.

Status: Strong legal protection under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna)

Resources:

Animal Diversity Web

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