Amblyomma sphenodonti or the tuatara tick is a species that parasitises only the tuatara of New Zealand. It is found on just four of the twelve island groups where tuatara survive, preferring islands where the reptiles live in high densities. Larvae, nymphs, and adults all feed exclusively on tuatara blood, and ticks can survive for up to a year without a host. When tuatara are translocated, the tick has been lost or survives only in low densities in the new population. Recent DNA research suggests that the species does not belong in the genus Amblyomma, and should be placed in its own distinct genus.