The tuatara (/ tuːəˈtɑːrə /, Māori: [ˈtʉ.a.ta.ɾa]; Sphenodon punctatus) is a species of reptile endemic to New Zealand. Despite its close resemblance to lizards, it is the only extant member of a distinct …

Tuatara, a species of moderately large lizardlike reptiles endemic to New Zealand. Sphenodon punctatus, which, along with possibly others, inhabited the main islands before the arrival of the …

The tuatara cells took nearly four months to grow to sufficient numbers to freeze (most species require only four weeks), but it was a worthwhile effort: the preservation of genetic diversity through …

Somehow the `proto-tuatara’ survived this cataclysm, hung on during the proliferation of birds and mammals, and eventually gave rise to the modern version, which survives only in New Zealand, and …

Jul 21, 2025 · Join ecologists as they search for tuatara — one of the world's most unique reptiles —in the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.

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.

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 …

Geographic Range The two recognized species of tuatara ( Sphenodon punctatus and Sphenodon guntheri ) are found on approximately 30 small, relatively inaccesible, islands off the coast of New …

What are tuatara? Tuatara are lizard-like reptiles, found only in New Zealand. Adults are between 30 and 75 centimetres long, and weigh between 250 and 1,200 grams. Males are larger than females, …

Technically known as a parietal eye, these are found in many lizards, but the tuatara’s is unusual in having a lens. Like some lizards, tuatara can also regrow their tail if they lose it.