Editing Tuatara (section)

=== Physiology ===
[[File:TWC Wildlife Centre• Stewart Nimmo • MRD 8910.jpg|thumb|left|A tuatara basking at the West Coast Wildlife Centre, at [[Franz Josef / Waiau|Franz Josef]] on the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]]]]

Adult tuatara are [[Landform|terrestrial]] and [[nocturnal]] reptiles, though they will often bask in the sun to warm their bodies. Hatchlings hide under logs and stones, and are [[Diurnality|diurnal]], likely because adults are cannibalistic. Juveniles are typically active at night, but can be found active during the day. The juveniles' movement pattern is attributed to genetic hardwire of conspecifics for predator avoidance and thermal restrictions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Terezow |first1=Marianna G. |last2=Nelson |first2=Nicola J. |last3=Markwell |first3=Timothy J. |date=January 2008 |title=Circadian emergence and movement of captive juvenile tuatara (''Sphenodon''spp.) |journal=New Zealand Journal of Zoology |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=205–216 |doi=10.1080/03014220809510116 |issn=0301-4223 |s2cid=83781111|doi-access=free }}</ref> Tuatara thrive in temperatures much lower than those tolerated by most reptiles, and [[hibernation|hibernate]] during winter.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 January 2006 |title=Tuatara: Facts |url=http://www.southlandmuseum.com/tuatara_-_facts.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609034405/http://www.southlandmuseum.com/tuatara_-_facts.htm |archive-date=9 June 2007 |access-date=2 June 2007 |publisher=Southland Museum}}</ref> They remain active at temperatures as low as {{convert|5|°C|°F|0}},<ref>{{cite news |author=Schofield, E. |date=24 March 2009 |title=New arrivals thrill staff at sanctuary |newspaper=[[Otago Daily Times]] |place=Otago, NZ |url=http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/48665/new-arrivals-thrill-staff-sanctuary |access-date=23 March 2009}}</ref> while temperatures over {{convert|28|°C|°F|0}} are generally fatal. The optimal body temperature for the tuatara is from {{convert|16|to|21|C|F}}, the lowest of any reptile.<ref name="UofM">{{cite web |author=Musico, B. |year=1999 |title=''Sphenodon punctatus'' |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sphenodon_punctatus.html |access-date=22 April 2006 |website=Animal Diversity Web |publisher=University of Michigan Museum of Zoology}}</ref> The body temperature of tuatara is lower than that of other reptiles, ranging from {{convert|5.2|-|11.2|C|F}} over a day, whereas most reptiles have body temperatures around {{convert|20|°C|°F|0}}.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Thompson, M.B. |author2=Daugherty, C.H. |year=1998 |title=Metabolism of tuatara, ''Sphenodon punctatus'' |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A |volume=119 |issue=2 |pages=519–522 |doi=10.1016/S1095-6433(97)00459-5}}</ref> The low body temperature results in a slower [[metabolism]].{{Clear}}