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History_in_the_making


History_in_the_making
Photo Information
Copyright: brannigan barrett (brabar) (20)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-04
Categories: Reptiles
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-05-13 2:20
Viewed: 2464
Points: 5
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
this picture was never meant to be as it was taken in a dark room of the wellington zoo, it was history in the mating as an event like this seldom gets seen. been daring the snap was taken and now you to can witness history in the making, some info below will help you understand more about these ancient creatures!

The arrangement of their teeth is very special. The single row of teeth in the lower jaw fits between two rows of teeth in the upper jaw. This helps tuatara tear apart hard insects such as weta, and chew the heads off small seabirds – yuck! Tuatara mate differently fromlizards. The male tuatara does not have a penis; he mounts the female and passes sperm straight from his cloaca to hers (the cloaca is the hole that sperm enters the female through). They have a gland beneath the skin on the head, which contains a simple ‘third eye’. Lizards have visible ear openings but tuatara do not. But like lizards, if they lose their tails they are able to regrow them - excellent!

Tuatara reach sexual maturity between 15 and 20 years. Once every two to five years the female will be ready to mate Males will sit outside their burrows and when a female walks past he will circle her. If the female is interested they will mate. About 8-9 months after mating the female will lay and bury 6-10 eggs in a sunny nesting site After 11-16 months the baby tuatara will hatch.
Robbrown, Vini, kaleidoscopica has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

HI "bran"
great notes but hay poor Tautaras
they only get it once every two to five years and they pick the time when your taking photos through there bed room window.....
hard photo to get as is in dark house and the glass is thick so not so bad shot . youll have to tell them back home about this one...

Not a bad capture , especially considering the conditions. Notes very good too. TFS

  • Good 
  • Vini Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 20 W: 0 N: 27] (117)
  • [2005-05-13 16:23]

Interesting creature and good capture. Weak in detail but a nice instant. TFS

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