spenadon - A living fossil

The living fossil is an animal that has survived beyond its era.
Living Fossil is a organism which Keeps its Characters Unchanged around Millions of year
Sphenodon punctatum is commonly known as Tuatara.
Life span is up to 100 years or more.Sphenodon inhabits burrows made in the soft soil and in rocks.

Terrestrial ,nocturnal, carnivorous and oviparous.
Endemic to New Zealand.
It consist of alimentary canal and associated digestive line.

Alimentary canal is short and coiled which begins from mouth and finish with cloaca.

1. By:- Dr. Nanda Jagtap DUBSS Collage , Dapoli Sphenodon – A Living Fossil

2. Synopsis Introduction Classification Habit & habitat Morphological features Anatomical features Phylogeny Economic Importance Conclusion

3. Introduction The living fossil is an animal that has survived beyond its era. Living Fossil is a organism which Keeps its Characters Unchanged around Millions of year Sphenodon punctatum is commonly known as Tuatara. Life span is up to 100 years or more .

4. Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Rhynchocephalia Family Sphenodontidae Genus Sphenodon

5. Habit & Habitat Sphenodon inhabits burrows made in the soft soil and in rocks. Terrestrial ,nocturnal, carnivorous and oviparous. Endemic to New Zealand.

6. Morphological features Tuatara is lizard-like reptile and measures about 60 CM in length

7. Anatomical Features Endoskeleton:- - Vertebrae are amphicoelous with remnants of notochord in the inter central spaces. - Ribs are single headed, uncinate prosess . - Skull is lizard-like but there is a complete lower temporal arch.

8. Digestive system It consist of alimentary canal and associated digestive line. Alimentary canal is short and coiled which begins from mouth and finish with cloaca.

9. Respiratory System It includes respiratory tract and respiratory organ. Trachea is long ,elongated & it’s anterior part dilated called larynx, supported by cricoid and arytenoids cartilages It emits soft frog like croak. lungs are paired elongated fusiform thin walled elastic sac.

10. Anatomy of Sphenodon

11. Blood Vascular System Blood vascular system is similar to lizard. Heart is triangular, red in color and partially 4 chambered muscular organ, two auricles and one ventricle with incomplete septum . Sinus venous not easily distinguish externally. Jacobson’s organs in primitive form .

12. Nervous System B rain lies inside the cranial cavity covered by two membranes , inner piamater and outer duramater . Brain is divided into three regions namely forebrain , midbrain and hindbrain. olfactory lobes are small and Cerebral hemisphere larger in size.

13. Urinogenital System Excretory and reproductive organs are closely associated and forming urino genital system. Paired metanephric kidney are elongated , dark red flattened lying in posterior region of abdominal cavity.

14. Phylogeny Phylogeny means an evolutionary development and diversification of a species or a group of an organism. Primitive reptiles are originated from some primitive amphibians in the beginning of Carboniferous period. No fossil specimen of Sphenodon has been found. It is referred as a “Living Fossil”.

15. Economic Importance Tuatara is an extremely important component of extant biodiversity It has played a key role in phylogenetic analysis. It is valuable for comparative studies of soft tissue and behavior in lizard. It is used as model organism. It has appeared on stamps and 5 cent coin.

16. Conclusion There is no evolution therefore Sphenodon is on the way of extinction. Due to global worming, their island habitat is becoming less. Conservation of Sphenodon has started by The Government Of New Zealand.

17. References Chordate Zoology Jordan and Verma , Chand Publications. Vertebrates Kotpal , Rastogi publications. www.google.coms

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