Rare, prehistoric-age reptile found nesting in NZ

AP on Yahoo ^ | 11/1/08 | Ral Lilley - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – A rare reptile with lineage dating back to the dinosaur age has been found nesting on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in about 200 years, officials said Friday.

Four leathery, white eggs from an indigenous tuatara were found by staff at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in the capital, Wellington, during routine maintenance work Friday, conservation manager Rouen Epson said.

"The nest was uncovered by accident and is the first concrete proof we have that our tuatara are breeding," Epson said. "It suggests that there may be other nests in the sanctuary we don't know of."

Tuatara, dragon-like reptiles that grow to up to 32 inches, are the last descendants of a species that walked the earth with the dinosaurs 225 million years ago, zoologists say.

They have unique characteristics, such as two rows of top teeth closing over one row at the bottom. They also have a pronounced parietal eye, a light-sensitive pineal gland on the top of the skull. This white patch of skin — called its "third eye" — slowly disappears as they mature.

[NormsRevenge]

Cute little fellars

tuatara lizards

Tuatara - The Fastest Evolving Animal - Terra Daily

[Tax-chick]

Bearded dragons are cuter.

And all reptiles’ ancestors were earlier reptiles. Where does the writer think reptiles come from, a cabbage patch?

[mnehring]

Looks like a horny toad.

[Tax-chick]

Reptile ping! Not one you’ll find in the back yard ...

[NormsRevenge]

They do eat cabbage... and turnips too, I bet. :-)

[Krankor]

[Tax-chick]

Maybe ... some lizards are carnivorous. Ours like mustard greens and peas, though.

[NormsRevenge]

Every once and awhile I find a real small salamandar-like lizard thingy in my pool,, not sure why they jump in. I have never found a nest of them tho. cute little fellars.

[machogirl]

anyone seen helen thomas for awhile?

[SpinnerWebb]

Looks like a horny toad.

No, I don't think so. The article said they were actively mating.

[machogirl]

oh no, i posted before this picture...................

[BnBlFlag]

Ping!

[OneWingedShark]

>Looks like a horny toad.

I was about to say the same.

[Tax-chick]

http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/lizardsid/lizards.id.html

Look here, maybe you’ll see it.

[Joe 6-pack]

I just knew that picture was coming when I saw the headline. Already had my Clorox eye drops ready.

[Krankor]

That has got to be the most posted pic on this site.

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks!

I may have more of a legless lizard , it seems, it is hard to tell at first but they do have tiny little legs.. they are slender too. maybe no more than 2 - 4 inches long at most

[Tax-chick]

Probably just looking for a drink!

[NormsRevenge]

about half of them survive, I usually pull them out or they get sucked into the pool sweeper.. not good.

[webschooner]

James Carville, did you lay some eggs?

[Verginius Rufus]

From what I remember from reading about reptiles when I was a kid, there were 16 orders of reptiles at one time. 4 of them have living members—(1) the order that includes crocodiles and alligators, (2) the order that includes turtles, (3) the order that includes snakes and lizards, (4) the order whose sole survivor is the tuatara.

[Verbosus]

Rumors have it there is a reward that will be given to the first Freeper that figures out what it is. I still think it is a PhotoShop of several ‘yet to be determined’ creatures.

[count-your-change]

Impossible. These lizards have evolved into handbags and custom cowboy boots.

[JoeProBono]

[grey_whiskers]

Sarah Palin *PING* /sarc>

Cheers!

[mad_as_he$$]

Dude you owe me a keyboard and a beer.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Dustbunny]

Neat !!!

[lowbridge]

Looks like a horny toad.

No, I can see your confusion, but Bill Clinton walks on two legs.

[FastCoyote]

[Four leathery, white eggs from an indigenous tuatara were found by staff at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in the capital, ]

Tasted like chicken eggs when scrambled.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Maybe ... some lizards are carnivorous. Ours like mustard greens and peas, though.

Interestingly, tuataras are not lizards. They followed a separate and distinct evolutionary path to lizards.

They are absolutely unique: there are no other reptiles like ‘em.

I have had the great privilege to hold a tuatara once, at a wildlife sanctuary. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> From what I remember from reading about reptiles when I was a kid, there were 16 orders of reptiles at one time. 4 of them have living members—(1) the order that includes crocodiles and alligators, (2) the order that includes turtles, (3) the order that includes snakes and lizards, (4) the order whose sole survivor is the tuatara.

Your memory serves you very well! Tuatara are absolutely unique: although they LOOK like lizards, they aren’t.

They are one of the coolest animals on this planet, in my opinion. The Kiwi and the Kea are another two: both found only in New Zealand.

[Tax-chick]

Very interesting, thanks! Things that look like lizards but aren’t ... I think I saw that in a 70’s sci-fi show :-).

[cake_crumb]

Oh, COOL! I was about to post a pic also! Adorable little things, aren’t they? Living examples of some of the earliest Sauropsida walking the planet Earth today :-)

[cake_crumb]

Horned toads are actually lizards.