TUATARA


Meaning of TUATARA in English

Either of two species ( Sphenodon punctatus and S. guntheir ) of lizardlike, nocturnal reptiles of the order Rhynchocephalia, found on certain islets of New Zealand.

Up to 2 ft. (60 cm) long and weighing over 2 lbs (1 kg), tuataras have two pairs of well-developed limbs, a scaly crest down the neck and back, a third eyelid that closes horizontally, and a pineal eye between the two normal eyes. A bony arch behind the eyes distinguishes tuataras from lizards. They eats insects, other small animals, and birds' eggs. In spring, they lay 8–15 eggs away from their burrow. Tuataras may live about 100 years.

Britannica English dictionary.      Английский словарь Британика.