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Abstract
CASE HISTORY: A mature male tuatara was presented with a history of recurrent cloacal prolapse.
CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The prolapsed tissue included a 12 mm diameter mass, which histologically showed cords and nodules of neoplastic epithelial cells.
DIAGNOSIS: The mass was diagnosed as a squamous cell carcinoma with ulceration of the overlying stratified squamous epithelium and diffuse inflammation of the surrounding dermis.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This case presented a rare opportunity to investigate squamous cell carcinoma in a long-lived lower vertebrate species. Future recurrence or metastasis of the mass may add useful information to the current base of knowledge of the behaviour of malignant neoplasms in reptiles.