NZ has the most ancient lizard

In fact tuatara are so old they are technically not even lizards.

Tuatara are Sphenodontia an ancient order of reptiles that evolved in the Triassic period before the age of dinosaurs (Jurassic period).

These ancient animals have the lowest body temperature of any reptile in the world. Amazingly this means they can survive by breathing just once every hour!

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Tuatara are even more unusual because they have a pronounced photoreceptive third eye.

Tutara are living fossils barely changed for 250 million years. Read more on TE ARA.

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