Rare, prehistoric-age reptile found nesting in NZ

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

[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.