Dracaena paraguayensis

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Dracaena paraguayensis
Paraguay Caiman Lizard (Dracaena paraguayensis) back on the road ... - Flickr - berniedup.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Teiidae
Genus: Dracaena
Species:
D. paraguayensis
Binomial name
Dracaena paraguayensis
Amaral, 1950

Dracaena paraguayensis, the Paraguay caiman lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. [2] It is found in Northern Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia.

Description

Paraguay caiman lizards are closely related to the more well known northern caiman lizard, from which it differs especially in coloration, having light brown scales with dark banding rather than its relatives distinctive bright green and red. these lizards are known as 'caiman lizards' because of their noticeable resemblance to crocodilians, having rows of raised spikes in a croc-like arrangement.

They generally prefer dry climates and can often be found along the banks for rivers. Like all water tegus, they are semi-aquatic.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teiidae</span> Family of lizards

Teiidae is a family of autarchoglossan lizards native to the Americas. Members of this family are generally known as whiptails or racerunners; however, tegus also belong to this family. Teiidae is sister to the Gymnopthalmidae, and both families comprise the Teiioidea. The Teiidae includes several parthenogenic species – a mode of clonal reproduction. Presently, the Teiidae consists of approximately 150 species in eighteen genera.

<i>Dracaena</i> (lizard) Genus of lizards

The genus Dracaena, also called caiman lizards or water tegus, is in the teiid family, along with tegus and ameivas. Caiman lizards are found in South America in Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Brazil. These semiaquatic lizards spend a lot of time in the water and inhabit marshes, streams and flooded forests. Caiman lizards often bask on branches overhanging the water.

<i>Caiman</i> (genus) Genus of reptiles

Caiman is a genus of caimans within the alligatorid subfamily Caimaninae. They inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small sized crocodilians, with all species reaching lengths of only a couple of meters and weighing 6 to 40 kg on average.

Draco is the Greco-Latin word for serpent, or dragon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yacare caiman</span> Species of reptile

The yacare caiman, also known commonly as the jacare caiman, Paraguayan caiman, piranha caiman, red caiman, and southern spectacled caiman, is a species of caiman, a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. The species is endemic to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Brown in color and covered with dark blotches, males grow to a total length of 2–3 m and weigh around 40–50 kg (88–110 lb); while females grow to 1.4 m long and about 15–20 kg (33–44 lb). Typical habitats of this caiman include lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Its diet primarily consists of aquatic animals, such as snails, and occasionally land vertebrates. Mating occurs in the rainy season and eggs hatch in March, with young fending for themselves as soon as they hatch. The yacare caiman was hunted heavily for its skin to use for leather in the 1980s, which caused its population to decrease significantly. However, trading restrictions placed since have caused its population to increase. Its population in the Pantanal is about 10 million, and it is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.

François Marie Daudin was a French zoologist.

Dracaena can mean:

<i>Dracaena draco</i> Species of plant

Dracaena draco, the Canary Islands dragon tree or drago, is a subtropical tree in the genus Dracaena, native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, western Morocco, and possibly introduced into the Azores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad-snouted caiman</span> Species of reptile

The broad-snouted caiman is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae found in eastern and central South America, including southeastern Brazil, northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia. It is the second largest caiman and the third largest alligatorid. It is found mostly in freshwater marshes, swamps, and mangroves, usually in still or very slow-moving waters. It will often use man-made cow ponds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuvier's dwarf caiman</span> Species of reptile

Cuvier's dwarf caiman is a small crocodilian in the alligator family from northern and central South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Venezuela. It lives in riverine forests, flooded forests near lakes, and near fast-flowing rivers and streams. It can traverse dry land to reach temporary pools and tolerates colder water than other species of caimans. Other common names for this species include the musky caiman, the dwarf caiman, Cuvier's caiman, and the smooth-fronted caiman. It is sometimes kept in captivity as a pet and may be referred to as the wedge-head caiman by the pet trade community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scale-throated hermit</span> Species of hummingbird

The scale-throated hermit is a species in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectacled caiman</span> Species of crocodilian native to the Neotropics

The spectacled caiman, also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m and a weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otuquis National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area</span>

Otuquis National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area,, is a national park in the Pantanal ecoregion of southeastern Bolivia. It is named after the Otuke indigenous people who inhabit the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern caiman lizard</span> Species of lizard

The northern caiman lizard is a species of lizard found in northern South America.

<i>Butia paraguayensis</i> Species of palm

Butia paraguayensis is a species of Butia palm tree found in the cerrado region of South America. Its natural range runs from Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo in southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina and Uruguay. It was given the name dwarf yatay palm in English by 2000, and it is locally known as yata'i in Guaraní in Paraguay, or butiá-do-cerrado in Portuguese in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tegu</span> Index of animals with the same common name

Tegu is a common name of a number of species of lizards that belong to the families Teiidae and Gymnophthalmidae. Tegus are native to Central and South America. They occupy a variety of habitats and are known for their large size and predatory habits.

<i>Miocochilius</i> Extinct genus of notoungulates

Miocochilius is an extinct genus of small notoungulate mammals (typotheres) native to South America. The genus lived during the Middle Miocene epoch. The genus contains two described species, the type species M. anomopodus described in 1953 by Ruben Arthur Stirton and M. federicoi, described and included in the genus by Darin A. Croft.

Paradracaena is an extinct genus of lizards from northern South America. Fossils of Paradracaena colombiana have been found in the Honda Group of Colombia, Peru and Brazil. The species was described as a member of the tegus; Tupinambis huilensis by Estes in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern green anaconda</span> Species of anaconda

The northern green anaconda is a disputed boa species found in northern South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. It is closely related to Eunectes murinus, the (southern) green anaconda, from which it was claimed to be genetically distinct in 2024. It is one of the heaviest and longest snakes in the world, with confirmed specimens measuring up to 6.3 metres (21 ft) long. Like all boas, it is a non-venomous constrictor.

References

  1. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  2. Dracaena paraguayensis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 2 July 2019.