| Gold tegu | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Teiidae |
| Genus: | Tupinambis |
| Species: | T. teguixin |
| Binomial name | |
| Tupinambis teguixin | |
 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Teius teguexim(Linnaeus, 1758) Contents | |
The gold tegu, also known as the golden tegu, common tegu, black tegu, Colombian black and white tegu and tiger lizard (in Trinidad), [3] is a species of tegu.
Its old scientific name (synonym) was Tupinambis nigropunctatus, but it has since renamed to Tupinambis teguixin. [2]
Gold tegus grow to be about 2 to 3 ft (60 to 100 cm) long on average, and up to 3.5 to 4.0 kg in weight, with a glossy body, powerful limbs and a thick tail. [4] They have many black and gold stripes down their bodies.
Gold tegus live in the tropical forests of northern and central South America, as well as in Panama. [4] Its South American range extends to the island of Trinidad. [5]
They feed on insects, other invertebrates (such as snails), small mammals, other reptiles (such as smaller lizards and small snakes), birds, and fish; it takes nest eggs of birds, turtles, and caimans. It sometimes eats fruit and honey. [5]
They typically do not make as good a pet as their larger southern relatives, the Argentine black and white tegu and the red tegu; however, if handled frequently, they can make a good pet. [6]
