Reptile · GBIF taxon 2471948
Tupinambis teguixin
Tupinambis teguixinAlso known as Golden Tegu, Common Tegu, Black Tegu, Tiger Lizard
Gold tegus are versatile South American lizards that spend their days patrolling forest edges, riverbanks, and clearings for opportunistic meals. These muscular reptiles use a deeply forked tongue to scent out bird eggs, fruit, and small animals hidden in leaf litter or underground burrows. When threatened, they puff up their bodies, hiss loudly, and lash out with heavy tails before delivering a crushing bite.
DiurnalOmnivorousReptile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Bird eggs
- Insects
- Small rodents
Predators
- Jaguars
- Large birds of prey
- Anacondas
ThreatsHabitat loss, pet trade collection, hunting for meat and hides
HabitatsTropical rainforests, gallery forests, swamps, and savannas
Life span12–20 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyTeiidae
- SpeciesTupinambis teguixin
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Powerful jaws and sharp claws can cause severe injury; give wild individuals plenty of space.
- Why it is dangerous
- Possesses muscular jaws and sharp teeth that deliver severe bites and deep lacerations when defensive.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for glossy golden-yellow and black mottling across a heavy body up to a meter in length.
- What to do
- Do not attempt to corner or grab a tegu, as it will strike out with its jaws and sharp claws.
Responsible observation
- Maintain distance: Give foraging tegus wide berth to prevent defensive tail-whips or bites.
- Watch leaf litter: Listen for heavy rustling in dense brush where tegus hunt for buried food.
- Secure food stores: Keep eggs and camp food packed away, as tegus possess an acute sense of smell.
Close Relative (c) Bruno Henrique Aranda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bruno Henrique Aranda · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Hugo Hulsberg · cc0
Family Member D. Gordon E. Robertson / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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