Fauna
Reptile · GBIF taxon 2471948

Tupinambis teguixin

Tupinambis teguixin

Also 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
Tupinambis teguixin reference1 / 6
Licensed referenceDiego Tirira from Quito, Ecuador / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
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
Classification
  1. FamilyTeiidae
  2. SpeciesTupinambis teguixin
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. 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.
Related species
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