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Sphenodonts Fossil range: Late Triassic - Recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
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.

Contents 1 Taxonomy 1.1 Classification 2 References 3 External links

[edit] Taxonomy

Sphenodontia, once a wastebin taxon containing a diverse array of unrelated reptiles (notably the rhynchosaurs), today consists of three families: the possibly paraphyletic Gephyrosauridae, the Pleurosauridae, and the Sphenodontidae. Sphenodontidae is the family which contains all modern tuatara, as well as a number of extinct subfamilies.

[edit] Classification

Classification follows Wu (1994),^{[cite this quote]} Evans et al. (2001),^{[cite this quote]} and Apesteguia & Novas (2003)^[1].

• 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
      • Homoeosaurus †
      • Kallimodon †
      • Sapheosaurus †
      • Ankylosphenodon †
      • Pamizinsaurus †
      • Zapatadon †
      • Tribe Sphenodontini
        • Cynosphenodon †
        • Sphenodon (tuatara)
      • (unranked) Opisthodontia †
        • Opisthias †
        • Tribe Eilenodontini †
          • Toxolophosaurus †
          • Priosphenodon †
          • Eilenodon †

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sphenodontidae

v • d • e Extant sauropsida orders by subclass Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Subphylum: Vertebrata Anapsida Chelonia Testudines Diapsida Lepidosauromorpha Sphenodontia · Squamata Archosauromorpha Crocodilia

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[edit] External links

• sphenodontidae