Tuatara Sphenodon punctatus Skull
$106.00
Tuatara have two rows of teeth in the upper jaw overlapping one row on the lower jaw. They are able to hear, although no external ear is present, and have unique features in their skeleton.
- Description
- Additional information
Description
Tuatara Sphenodon punctatus Skull Replica measures 2.6L x 2.0W x 1.25H in. Tuatara Sphenodon punctatus Skull is museum museum quality polyurethane resin cast of original specimen from California Academy of Sciences. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Made in USA.
Tuatara or Sphenodon punctatus are reptiles endemic to New Zealand. Although resembling most lizards, they are part of a distinct lineage, the order Rhynchocephalia.
Tuatara or Sphenodon punctatus are greenish brown and grey, and measure up to 31 in. from head to tail-tip and weigh up to 2.9 lb. with a spiny crest along the back, especially pronounced in males.
They have two rows of teeth in the upper jaw overlapping one row on the lower jaw, which is unique among living species. They are able to hear, although no external ear is present, and have unique features in their skeleton, some of them apparently evolutionary retained from fish.
In the course of evolution, the Sphenodon punctatus skull has been modified in most diapsids from the original version evident in the fossil record.
All the original features are preserved in that of the tuatara; it has two openings, a temporal fenestra on each side of the skull, with complete arches.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Rhynchocephalia
Family: Sphenodontidae
Genus: Sphenodon
Gray, 1831 (conserved name)
Type species: Sphenodon punctatus
Conservation status is Vulnerable
Additional information
| Weight | 2.9 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 2.6 × 2.0 × 1.25 in |