# Tegu > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tegu > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tegu.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegu > Source revision: 1338129244 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Common name of a number of species of lizards}} {{About|lizards|other uses|Tegus (disambiguation)}} {{For|the toy company |Tegu (toy company)}} {{more citations needed|date=June 2015}} {{main|Tupinambis|label1=subfamily Tupinambinae|Teius|label2=non-tupinambinian genus ''Teius''}} [[File:Lagarto-marau-rs-dsc00972.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|An [Argentine black and white tegu](/source/Argentine_black_and_white_tegu) (''Salvator merianae'')]] '''Tegu''' is a [common name](/source/common_name) of a number of [species](/source/species) of [lizard](/source/lizard)s that belong to the families [Teiidae](/source/Teiidae) and [Gymnophthalmidae](/source/Gymnophthalmidae). Tegus are native to [Central](/source/Central_America) and [South America](/source/South_America). They occupy a variety of habitats and are known for their large size and predatory habits.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/03/huge-pet-south-american-tegu-lizards-invading-us/|title=How huge pet South American tegu lizards are invading the US|date=2018-08-03|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-03-29|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} == Description == 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 presents a streamlined appearance with long tails and strong legs. Most tegus grow to be about a metre long, but the [black and white tegu](/source/black_and_white_tegu) (''S. merianae'') can grow to about {{Convert|1.3|m}}.{{Cite web |title=Tegu |department=lizard |series=[Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica%2C_Inc.) |url=https://www.youtube.com/@Eligaming_official/featured |access-date=2023-01-24 |via=youtube.com |lang=en}} Although tegus resemble the [Varanidae](/source/Varanidae) (monitors) in appearance, they are not closely related to them. Their similarities are an example of [convergent evolution](/source/convergent_evolution), when unrelated or distantly related species develop physical or behavioral similarities based on [ecological niche](/source/ecological_niche), adaptations or environment. Tegus use their tongues and [vomeronasal organ](/source/vomeronasal_organ) to find chemical cues associated with their prey and other lizards. A vomeronasal organ is an organ of [chemoreception](/source/chemoreception) located in the nasal chamber. == Habitat == Tegus naturally occur in [rainforest](/source/rainforest)s, [deciduous](/source/deciduous) [semiarid](/source/Semi-arid_climate) [thorn forest](/source/thorn_forest)s, [savanna](/source/savanna)s, fields and [grassland](/source/grassland)s. They have also adapted to open areas created by agriculture, parks and construction zones. They spend much of their time in [burrow](/source/burrow)s.{{Cite web |title=Pantanal Escapes - Tegu |url=http://pantanalescapes.com/wildlife/reptiles/tegu.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726122018/http://pantanalescapes.com/wildlife/reptiles/tegu.html |archive-date=2019-07-26 |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=Pantanal Escapes}} == Diet == As omnivores, tegus feed on various foods including [fruit](/source/fruit)s, [insect](/source/insect)s, [frog](/source/frog)s, small [rodent](/source/rodent)s, [bird](/source/bird)s, [egg](/source/egg)s and [carrion](/source/carrion). Tegus living near humans may raid chicken coops for eggs and baby chicks, or scavenge leftover food such as [crackers](/source/Cracker_(food)), [cheese](/source/cheese) and chips. == Behavior == 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. Tegus are popular in the international pet trade as owners often compare them to dogs due to their loving, casual nature.{{cite web |title=Tegu as pet: 5 reasons why tegus are the best pet lizard |date=22 January 2025 |website=Pets with Scales (petswithscales.com) |url=https://petswithscales.com/tegu-the-best-pet-lizard/ |access-date=22 June 2025 }} In the coolest areas of their range, such as northern [Argentina](/source/Argentina), tegus [hibernate](/source/Hibernation) from June to September. == Endothermy == 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 [endotherm](/source/endotherm)y). This is conjectured to be advantageous for them when coming out of hibernation, regrowing [gonad](/source/gonad)s, producing gametes ([gametogenesis](/source/gametogenesis)), mating, and (for females) producing eggs and incubating them.{{cite journal |last1=Tattersall |first1=Glenn J. |last2=Leite |first2=Cleo A.C. |last3=Sanders |first3=Colin E. |last4=Cadena |first4=Viviana |last5=Andrade |first5=Denis V. |last6=Abe |first6=Augusto S. |last7=Milsom |first7=William K. |year=2016 |title=Seasonal reproductive endothermy in tegu lizards |journal=[Science Advances](/source/Science_Advances) |language=en |volume=2 |issue=1 |article-number=e1500951 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.1500951 |issn=2375-2548 |pmc=4737272 |pmid=26844295 |bibcode=2016SciA....2E0951T }} == Importance == Tegus are traditionally hunted for their meat, fat, and hides.{{cite journal |last1=Mieres |first1=M. Margarita |last2=Fitzgerald |first2=Lee A. |year=2006 |title=Monitoring and managing the harvest of tegu lizards in Paraguay |journal=[The Journal of Wildlife Management](/source/The_Journal_of_Wildlife_Management) |volume=70 |issue=6 |pages=1723–1734 |doi=10.2193/0022-541X(2006)70[1723:MAMTHO]2.0.CO;2 |jstor=4128106 |s2cid=27029533 |issn=0022-541X}}{{cite journal |last1=Caldironi |first1=Hugo A. |last2=Manes |first2=Mario E. |year=2006 |title=Proximate composition, fatty acids, and cholesterol content of meat cuts from tegu lizard ''Tupinambis merianae'' |journal=[Journal of Food Composition and Analysis](/source/Journal_of_Food_Composition_and_Analysis) |volume=19 |issue=6–7 |pages=711–714 |doi=10.1016/j.jfca.2005.09.005 |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0889157505001109 |language=en|hdl=11336/84972 |hdl-access=free }} Argentine black and white tegus are widely and successfully bred and kept as [pets](/source/pets), with [red tegu](/source/red_tegu)s being slightly less common in the hobby but still present.{{cite web |title=Do Argentine black and white tegus make good pets? |website=The Spruce Pets (thesprucepets.com) |url=https://www.thesprucepets.com/argentine-black-and-white-tegus-1239188 |access-date=2023-01-24 |df=dmy-all |language=en}} Additionally, ''[Dracaena guianensis](/source/Dracaena_guianensis)'', the northern caiman lizard, is growing in popularity among breeders and hobbyists.{{cite web |title=Friendliest tegu species & best tegu for beginners |date=22 January 2025 |website=Pets with Scales (petswithscales.com) |url=https://petswithscales.com/easy-to-keep-tegus/ |access-date=22 June 2025 }} Some species have become [invasive](/source/invasive_species) in the U.S. state of [Florida](/source/Florida){{cite news |last=Nuwer |first=Rachel |author-link=Rachel Nuwer |date=2014-08-04 |df=dmy-all |title=A lizard interloper presents a challenge in Florida |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |issn=0362-4331 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/science/a-lizard-interloper-presents-challenge-in-florida.html |access-date=2019-03-29 |language=en-US}} and southern parts of [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)).{{cite web |first=Christina |last=Maxouris |date=2020-05-14 |df=dmy-all |title=Georgia officials are asking the public to help them track 4 foot long, invasive lizards |website=[CNN](/source/CNN) |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/14/us/georgia-invasive-lizard-trnd/index.html |access-date=2020-05-15}} == Invasive populations in the United States == The Argentine black and white tegus (''Salvator merianae'') have established breeding colonies in multiple areas of Florida beyond their native territory including southern Miami-Dade and southwest Charlotte and west-central Hillsborough and eastern St. Lucie counties and southern Georgia.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Steve A. |last2=McGarrity |first2=Monica |title=Florida Invader: Tegu Lizard |url=https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW340 |website=EDIS |publisher=University of Florida IFAS Extension |date=2022-12-05 |access-date=2025-10-09}}{{cite web |title=Argentine Black and White Tegus |url=https://georgiawildlife.com/tegus |website=Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division |publisher=Georgia Department of Natural Resources |access-date=2025-10-09}} Tegus are generalist omnivores and efficient egg predators that threaten ground-nesting birds and reptiles (including gopher tortoises and alligators) and may affect Everglades restoration efforts.{{cite web |last=Mederos |first=Lourdes |title=Fighting the tegu spread, protecting Florida's wildlife, natural areas through sustained multiagency efforts |url=https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2021/11/02/fighting-the-tegu-spread-protecting-floridas-wildlife-natural-areas-through-sustained-multiagency-efforts/ |website=UF/IFAS News |publisher=University of Florida |date=2021-11-02 |access-date=2025-10-09}} In Florida, tegus are listed as a Prohibited Species and cannot be possessed without a permit.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Steve A. |last2=McGarrity |first2=Monica |title=Florida Invader: Tegu Lizard |url=https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW340 |website=EDIS |publisher=University of Florida IFAS Extension |date=2022-12-05 |access-date=2025-10-09}} Experimental work by the U.S. Geological Survey indicates the species can survive winters under semi-natural conditions well beyond its current invasive range, suggesting potential for further spread if released.{{cite web |title=New Research Verifies Invasive Tegu Lizards Adaptable to Various Climates |url=https://www.usgs.gov/news/state-news-release/new-research-verifies-invasive-tegu-lizards-adaptable-various-climates |website=USGS News |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |date=2022-03-09 |access-date=2025-10-09}} The species distribution models show that suitable climate conditions exist outside the Florida peninsula during current and projected time periods.{{cite journal |last1=Jarnevich |first1=C. S. |last2=Holcombe |first2=T. R. |last3=Wright |first3=N. M. |last4=LaRue |first4=C. S. |last5=Nissa |first5=K. |title=Modeling the distributions of tegu lizards in native and potential invasive ranges |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=8 |article-number=10193 |year=2018 |issue=1 |issn=2045-2322 |doi=10.1038/s41598-018-28468-w |pmid=29976961 |pmc=6033913 |bibcode=2018NatSR...810193J }} == Genera == "Tegu" generally refers to species of lizard in the genus ''[Tupinambis](/source/Tupinambis)'', which belongs to the family [Teiidae](/source/Teiidae). Not all lizards known as tegus belong to the same [genus](/source/genus). The word "tegu" may refer to species in any of the following genera: {{div col begin|colwidth=18em}} * ''[Callopistes](/source/Callopistes)'': "dwarf tegus" (2 species) * ''[Crocodilurus](/source/Crocodilurus)'': the "crocodile tegu" (1 species) * ''[Dicrodon](/source/Dicrodon)'': "desert tegus" (3 species) * ''[Dracaena](/source/Dracaena_(lizard))'': "caiman tegus", also known as "caiman lizards" (2 species) * ''[Euspondylus](/source/Euspondylus)'': "sun tegus" (11 species) * ''[Proctoporus](/source/Proctoporus)'': "sun tegus" (17 species) * ''[Salvator](/source/Salvator_(lizard))'' (includes the [Argentine black and white tegu](/source/Argentine_black_and_white_tegu)) (3 species) * ''[Teius](/source/Teius)'' (includes "[four-toed tegu](/source/four-toed_tegu)") (3 species) * ''[Tupinambis](/source/Tupinambis)'' (8 species) {{div col end}} == References == {{reflist|25em}} Category:Teiidae Category:Reptile common names --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tegu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.