Black Tegu Lizard

Scientific Name: Tupinambis teguixin
Order: Sauria
Family: Teiidae (2 Tupinambis species)
Also Known As: Common tegu

Description: To 4-1/2 feet, average 3 feet. Pointed head. Long, forked, protrusible tongue. Small, granular dorsal scales. Ventral scales larger, in 22 to 27 longitudinal rows. Long, cylindrical tail which may be broken off and regenerated.

Glossy black with 9 to 10 groups of whitish-yellow or gold spots arranged in crossbands. Tail is marked with alternating bands of black and white in the young that fade with age. Old males and fattened specimens tend to develop heavy jowls. Long tongue is red.

Distribution: Eastern and central South America. Ground dwellers, mainly in forest clearings. Dig their own burrows. Are agile climbers and swimmers.

Breeding: Details unknown.

Nesting: 4 to 8 eggs, approximately 2 inches long, are laid in termite mounds and cemented in by the termites. Hatchlings are 6 to 8 inches long, and break open the mound upon hatching.

Diet: Small vertebrates, large arthropods; occasionally eggs, sweet fruit, plants (especially blossoms).

References

The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptiles and Amphibians for the Terrarium. Fritz Jurgen Obst, Dr. Klaus Richter, and Dr. Udo Jacob. Translated by U.E. Friese. Neptune City, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1988.

All About Lizards. Robert G. Sprackland Jr. Neptune City, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Ltd., 1977.

Lizards in Captivity. Richard H. Wynne. Neptune, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., Ltd., 1981.

The Care of Reptiles and Amphibians in Captivity. Christopher Mattison. New York: Sterling Publishing. Company, Inc., 1982.

Living Reptiles of the World. Karl P. Schmidt and Robert F. Inger. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1957.