Once widely distributed on and around the main island of New Zealand, the spotted wedge-toothed lizard resembles an ancient reptile 200 million years ago, with well-developed limbs and a scaly ridge on its neck and back. Although the name of the spotted wedge lizard has the word "lizard", it is not actually a lizard, and the obvious difference between the two is that the spotted wedge lizard has a third eyelid, and there is a pinecone-like eye between the two eyes, and its function is not clear.
Because the metabolism of spotted wedge lizards is very slow, their demand for food relative to other animals is not very large, and New Zealand is rich enough to provide them with plenty of food.
The spotted wedge lizard has a long lifespan, is suitable for living in low temperature conditions, and has a relatively abundant food source, but it became extinct after a large number of European immigrants set foot on the island of New Zealand in 1847.
Some people think that the lizard and snake are related to the fact that lizards have four legs, while snakes do not have feet. A pair of claw-shaped hind limbs can be found on both sides of the cloa foramen of some pythons, while snake lizards, who cannot find even traces of their feet in appearance, are often mistaken for snakes.