What is Sphenodontia?
{{Taxobox | name = Sphenodonts | fossil_range = [[Upper Triassic]] – Recent | status = | image = Tuatera.JPG | image_width = 200px | image_caption = ''[[Tuatara|Sphenodon]]'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Reptile|Sauropsida]] | ordo = '''Sphenodontia''' | ordo_authority = Williston, 1925 | subdivision_ranks = Families | subdivision = * Gephyrosauridae * [[Pleurosauridae]] * Sphenodontidae}} The '''Sphenodontia''' is a diverse group of reptile. It includes only one living genus, the [[tuatara]] (''Sphenodon''). An alternative name for the order is the '''Rhynchocephalia'''. They are an offshoot from the [[evolution]]ary line leading to the [[lizard]]s and [[snake]]s. They had many families during the late [[Triassic]] and [[Jurassic]] periods but then declined. They are now are the least successful of the lepidosaurs.<ref>Evans S.E. & Jones M.E.H. 2010. The origin, early history and diversification of lepidosauromorph reptiles. In Bandyopadhyay S. (ed) ''New aspects of Mesozoic biodiversity'', Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences '''132''', 27-44. [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-642-10311-7_2]</ref> The only surviving member today is the [[New Zealand]] [[tuatara]]. == References == {{reflist}} {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Scaled reptiles]]