noun
tuatara
A primitive reptile endemic to New Zealand, resembling a lizard but not a true lizard. In Japanese, it is almost always written in katakana.
ムカシトカゲはニュージーランドにしか生息していない。
Tuatara live only in New Zealand.
Katakana spelling is standard for this animal name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and may not be widely recognized; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
The Japanese name ムカシトカゲ literally means 'ancient lizard', reflecting its primitive appearance. The word is a compound of 昔 (mukashi, 'ancient') and 蜥蜴 (tokage, 'lizard').