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Information about Sphenodontidae

Sphenodonts
Fossil range: Triassic-Recent
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Sphenodon

Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Sauropsida
Order:Sphenodontia
Williston, 1925
Families
  • Gephyrosauridae
  • Pleurosauridae
  • Sphenodontidae
Sphenodontia is an order of lizard-like reptiles that includes only one living genus, the tuatara (Sphenodon). Despite its current lack of diversity, the Sphenodontia at one time included a wide array of genera in several families, and represents a lineage stretching back to the Mesozoic Era.

Classification

Classification follows Wu (1994), Evans et al. (2001), and Apesteguia & Novas (2003) [1]. super
  • Order RHYNCHOCEPHALIA / SPHENODONTIA
  • Family Gephyrosauridae
  • Gephyrosaurus
  • Diphydontosaurus
  • Family Pleurosauridae
  • Palaeopleurosaurus
  • Pleurosaurus
  • Family Sphenodontidae
  • Colognathus
  • Godavarisaurus
  • Kawasphenodon
  • Lamarquesaurus
  • Leptosaurus
  • Pelecymela
  • Piocormus
  • Sigmala
  • Theretairus
  • Tingitana
  • Rebbanasaurus
  • Planocephalosaurus
  • Polysphenodon
  • Brachyrhinodon
  • Clevosaurus
  • Subfamily Sphenodontinae
  • Homeosaurus
  • Kallimodon
  • Sapheosaurus
  • Ankylosphenodon
  • Pamizinsaurus
  • Zapatadon
  • Tribe Sphenodontini
  • Cynosphenodon
  • Sphenodon (tuatara)
  • (unranked) Opisthodontia
  • Opisthias
  • Tribe Eilenodontini
  • Toxolophosaurus
  • Priosphenodon
  • Eilenodon
The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago). As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events.
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Sphenodon
Gray, 1831

black: range (North Island, New Zealand)


Species

Sphenodon punctatus (Gray, 1842)
Sphenodon guntheri (Buller, 1877)
Sphenodon diversum
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Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. Scientific classification also can be called scientific taxonomy, but should be distinguished from folk taxonomy, which lacks scientific basis.
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Chordata
Bateson, 1885

Typical Classes

See below

Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates.
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Sauropsida*
Goodrich, 1916

Subclasses
  • Anapsida
  • Diapsida
Synonyms
  • Reptilia Laurenti, 1768
Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane, and members of the class
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Lepidosauria

Orders
  • Sphenodontia
  • Squamata


The Lepidosauria are reptiles with overlapping scales. They include the tuataras, lizards, snakes and amphisbaenians. Lepidosaurians are the most successful of modern reptiles.
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Sphenodon
Gray, 1831

black: range (North Island, New Zealand)


Species

Sphenodon punctatus (Gray, 1842)
Sphenodon guntheri (Buller, 1877)
Sphenodon diversum
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The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The division of time into eras dates back to Giovanni Arduino, in the 18th century, although his original name for the era now called the 'Mesozoic' was 'Secondary' (making the modern era the 'Tertiary').
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Pleurosaurus

Binomial name
Pleurosaurus goldfussi

Pleurosaurus is an extinct genus of diapsid reptile belonging to the order sphenodontia.

Pleurosaurus fossils were discovered in Germany.
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Planocephalosaurus

Planocephalosaurus is an extinct genus of diapsid reptile belonging to the sphenodont order. It was about 20 cm (8 in) long.
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Homeosaurus

Homeosaurus is an extinct genus of reptile belonging to the sphenodont order. It was found in limestone in Bavaria, Germany, and looks similar to the modern tuatara, to which it is closely related.
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Sphenodon
Gray, 1831

black: range (North Island, New Zealand)


Species

Sphenodon punctatus (Gray, 1842)
Sphenodon guntheri (Buller, 1877)
Sphenodon diversum
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