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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. [1]
Tegus are, usually, black mixed with other colors and patterns; some have yellow, reddish or white bands along their backs, others have lines going down their bodies with unique markings on their sides. Their body shape is aerodynamic with long tails and strong legs. Most tegus grow to about a metre long, but the black and white tegu (S. merianae) can grow to about 1.3 metres. [2]
Although, in appearance, tegus resemble the Varanidae (monitors), they are not closely related to them. Their initial similarities are an example of convergent evolution, when unrelated or distantly-related species develop physical or behavioral similarities based on ecological niche, adaptations or environment.
Tegus use their tongues and vomeronasal organ to find chemical cues associated with their prey and other lizards. A vomeronasal organ is an organ of chemoreception located in the nasal chamber. [2]
Tegus naturally occur in rainforests, deciduous semiarid thorn forests, savannas, fields and grasslands. They have also adapted to open areas created by agriculture, parks and construction zones. They spend much of their time in burrows. [3]
As omnivores, tegus feed on various foods including fruits, insects, frogs, small rodents, birds, eggs and carrion. Tegus living near humans may raid chicken coops for eggs and baby chicks, or scavenge leftover food such as crackers, cheese and chips. [3]
When confronted, a wild tegu initially stops moving with its head held up high, then attempts to flee. It may turn aggressive if cornered, biting and attacking with its tail. In contrast, captive-raised tegus can be docile, intelligent and social with their carers. [3]
In the coolest areas of their range, such as northern Argentina, tegus hibernate from June to September. [3]
During the reproductive season, Argentine black and white tegus can raise their body temperature by up to 10 °C above the ambient temperature (seasonal reproductive endothermy). This may be advantageous when coming out of hibernation, regrowing gonads, producing gametes (gametogenesis), mating, and (for females) producing eggs and incubating them. [4]
Tegus are traditionally hunted for their meat, fat, and hides. [5] [6]
Argentine black and white tegus are widely and successfully bred and kept as pets, with red tegus being slightly less common in the hobby but still present. [7] Additionally, Dracaena guianensis , the northern caiman lizard, is growing in popularity among breeders and hobbyists.
Some species have become invasive in the U.S. state of Florida [8] and southern parts of Georgia. [9]
"Tegu" generally refers to species of lizard in the genus Tupinambis , which belongs to the family Teiidae. Not all lizards known as tegus belong to the same genus. The word "tegu" may refer to species in any of the following genera:
Warm-blooded is an informal term referring to animal species whose bodies maintain a temperature higher than that of their environment. In particular, homeothermic species maintain a stable body temperature by regulating metabolic processes. Other species have various degrees of thermoregulation.
Lizard is the common name used for all squamate reptiles other than snakes, encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The grouping is paraphyletic as some lizards are more closely related to snakes than they are to other lizards. Lizards range in size from chameleons and geckos a few centimeters long to the 3-meter-long Komodo dragon.
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.
Pogona is a genus of reptiles containing eight lizard species, which are often known by the common name bearded dragons. The name "bearded dragon" refers to the underside of the throat of the lizard, which can turn black and puff up for a number of reasons, most often as a result of stress, if they feel threatened, or are trying to entice a mate. They are a semiarboreal species, spending significant amounts of time on branches, in bushes, and near human habitation. Pogona species bask on rocks and exposed branches in the mornings and afternoons and sleep at night, making them a diurnal species. Their diet consists primarily of vegetation and some insects. They are found throughout much of Australia and inhabit environments such as deserts, and shrublands.
Tupinambis is a lizard genus which belongs to the family Teiidae and contains eight described species. These large lizards are commonly referred to as tegus. T. merianae, T. rufescens, and T. teguixin are popular in the pet trade. They are primarily found in South America, although T. teguixin also occurs in Panama.
An endotherm is an organism that maintains its body at a metabolically favorable temperature, largely by the use of heat released by its internal bodily functions instead of relying almost purely on ambient heat. Such internally generated heat is mainly an incidental product of the animal's routine metabolism, but under conditions of excessive cold or low activity an endotherm might apply special mechanisms adapted specifically to heat production. Examples include special-function muscular exertion such as shivering, and uncoupled oxidative metabolism, such as within brown adipose tissue.
François Marie Daudin was a French zoologist.
The Pantanal is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay. It sprawls over an area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 km2. Various subregional ecosystems exist, each with distinct hydrological, geological and ecological characteristics; up to 12 of them have been defined.
The Chaco eagle or crowned solitary eagle, is an endangered bird of prey from eastern and central South America. Typically it is known simply as the crowned eagle which leads to potential confusion with the African Stephanoaetus coronatus. Due to its rarity, not much is known about its biology or population.
The six-lined racerunner is a species of lizard native to the United States and Mexico.
The Argentine black and white tegu, also known as the Argentine giant tegu, the black and white tegu, or the huge tegu, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is the largest of the "tegu lizards". It is an omnivorous species which inhabits the tropical rain forests, savannas and semi-deserts of eastern and central South America.
Cuvier's dwarf caiman is a small crocodilian in the alligator family from northern and central South America. It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, 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.
The gold tegu, also known as the golden tegu, common tegu, black tegu, Colombian black and white tegu and tiger lizard, is a species of tegu.
Iguana is a genus of herbivorous lizards that are native to tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena. Three species are placed in the genus: the green iguana, which is widespread throughout its range and a popular pet, the marine iguana and the Lesser Antillean iguana, which is native to the Lesser Antilles. Genetic analysis indicates that the green iguana may comprise a complex of multiple species, some of which have been recently described, but the Reptile Database considers all of these as subspecies of the green iguana.
The northern caiman lizard is a species of lizard found in northern South America.
The Noronha skink is a species of skink from the island of Fernando de Noronha off northeastern Brazil. It is covered with dark and light spots on the upperparts and is usually about 7 to 10 cm in length. The tail is long and muscular, but breaks off easily. Very common throughout Fernando de Noronha, it is an opportunistic feeder, eating both insects and plant material, including nectar from the Erythrina velutina tree, as well as other material ranging from cookie crumbs to eggs of its own species. Introduced predators such as feral cats prey on it and several parasitic worms infect it.
The red tegu is a lizard native to western Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is sold in the pet trade around the world due to its ease of care and relatively docile nature.
Salvator is a genus of lizards known as tegus which belong to the family Teiidae.
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.
