tuatara - sphenodon punctatus

The tuatara is native to New Zealand. The name "tuatara" comes from the Māori language and means "peaks on the back".
It is the sole survivor of the beak-heads which is a group of very ancient reptiles. The tuatara is the most ancient of all living reptiles and has survived for almost 200 million years. It is even older than the dinosaurs.
They range in adult length from about 40 cm (female) to 60 cm (large male).
Tuatara lack external ears, have a diapsid skull (two openings on either side). Young tuatara have a third eye (parietal eye). It is on top of the brain between the other eyes. It becomes covered over when the tuatara grows up.
Unlike all other living toothed reptiles, the tuatara's teeth are fused to the jaw bone.
The tuatara has a very slow metabolism and is a very long-lived species. It's not uncommon for an individual to live for over 100 years.
Tuatara feed on worms, beetles, sometimes bird eggs and small lizards. Due to its low metabolic rate, the tuatara eats much less frequently than other reptiles.

Tuatara are threatened by habitat loss and by formerly into New Zealand introduced predators and have been classified as an endangered species since 1895.
They were extinct on the mainland, until the first mainland release from Stephens Island into the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary - a protected natural area in Wellington - in 2005.[8]
In March 2009, a rare tuatara hatchling was found which means that the Karori Sanctuary Trust Te Māra A Tāne has successfully re-established a breeding population back on New Zealand mainland.
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[Tom5179]

If I can't find a picture of a tuatara with a third eye I'm going to fucking explode!

[PottyEsq]

Its lovely seeing a Tuatara, but odd seeing it amongst exotic weeds with only the sound of introduced birds.

It would be much nicer filmed in a native bush setting with native bird sound.

I only hope it lives in a native New Zealand environment. Its a bit sad seeing it on Tradescantia.

(A NZ naturalist)

[arigonian120]

the great last living dinosaur and its almost existinct its so sad ;( they will be missed

[13NewBeginnings]

you may not have noticed it...but thats exactly how we were staring at this video

[jimiHendiXnof]

@Tom5179

its not an actual eye its scale sized at the top of there head between there eyes it can sense light but does can not see

[MrRoflcopterfromHELL]

@PottyEsq every single one of them should be in a protected state until we can repopulate them. bloody stoats, weasels and ferrets are killin' 'em off

[Tom5179]

@TrueDaturaMindNz Well fuck you too

[TrueDaturaMindNz]

@Tom5179 its hidden under a flap of skin on its forehead idiot

[ThisOneObserver]

@Tom5179 The parietal eye is only visible in hatchlings, which have a translucent patch at the top centre of the skull. After four to six months it becomes covered with opaque scales and pigment.

[TrueDaturaMindNz]

nzs home grown dinosaur epic