Tuatara
Sphenodon punctatus
Where is it found?
Remote island cliffs
Diet and foraging method
|
|
Key adaptations
Tuataras have unique teeth that are fused to their jaw bone, which along with a special jaw motion, allows them to eat their prey with a shearing and sawing action.
Social organisation and mating system
Solitary. Live alone in a burrow.
|
|
Seasonal monogamous pairs.
Did you know that...?
Tuataras can live for 100 years, and have the lowest body temperature of any reptile which allows them to survive in cold climates.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Tuatara". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tuatara.jpg#/media/File:Tuatara.jpg
"Tuatara southland museum invercargill new zealand". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tuatara_southland_museum_invercargill_new_zealand.jpg#/media/File:Tuatara_southland_museum_invercargill_new_zealand.jpg
"Hatteria" by Heinrich Harder (1858-1935) - The Wonderful Paleo Art of Heinrich Harder. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hatteria.jpg#/media/File:Hatteria.jpg
"TuataraLyd" by R A Lydekker - The Royal Natural History. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TuataraLyd.jpg#/media/File:TuataraLyd.jpg
"Tuatara". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tuatara.jpg#/media/File:Tuatara.jpg
"Tuatara southland museum invercargill new zealand". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tuatara_southland_museum_invercargill_new_zealand.jpg#/media/File:Tuatara_southland_museum_invercargill_new_zealand.jpg
"Hatteria" by Heinrich Harder (1858-1935) - The Wonderful Paleo Art of Heinrich Harder. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hatteria.jpg#/media/File:Hatteria.jpg
"TuataraLyd" by R A Lydekker - The Royal Natural History. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TuataraLyd.jpg#/media/File:TuataraLyd.jpg
