Argentine Black-and-White Tegu

ANIMAL:
Argentine Black-and-White Tegu Tupinambus merianae

Type of Animal:
Teiid

Habitat:
Meadows, temperate/tropical open forest, forest edge savanna, rainforest, savanna, grassland, semi-desert, pampas

Location(s):
S Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, N Argentina, N Uruguay. Invasive in Florida, Georgia, & South Carolina. 

Appearance:
Hatchlings emerald green from snout tip to midway down neck w/ black markings, green fades to white as they get older, males larger than females w/ noticeable jowls, many individuals have yellow on white

Food/Diet:
Insects, insect larvae, worms, rodents, eggs, fruit, birds, grains, vegetables, fish, berries, spiders, snails, seeds, crocodilian hatchlings, carrion, young tortoises, snakes

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Bred for pet/reptile trade & in zoos.

Lifestyle:
Solitary

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young-Hatchling
Group-Solitary

Weight:
Male-15 lbs
Female-7-8 lbs

Gestation:
2-3 months 

Life Span:
12-20 years

Body Length:
Male-4-4.5 ft
Female-3 ft
Young-8 in

Tail Length:
Male-2.5 ft
Female-1.5 ft

Main predators are jaguars, pumas, raptors, crocodilians & snakes.

Largest species of tegu, also called giant tegu.

They can be very active & also very sluggish.

They hibernate in colder weather & breed shortly after hibernation.

Hunted for meat/skin.

While primarily terrestrial, they’re great swimmers.

Females lay 12-70 eggs.

Fights between males sometimes result in death.

Mating behavior is often very rough.

They have very sharp claws.

Sexually mature at 2.5-3 years old.

They’re active during the day (diurnal).

They use their forked tongue for smell.

Fun Fact(s):
The word tegu comes from Latin American word for lizard.

Tegu fat sometimes used in medicine.

Can make great pets if handled often & can even be trained to walk on a harness. Known to be very docile, though some males become aggressive during breeding season. Wild tegus not nearly as friendly.

Known to be one of the smartest lizards, being able to recognize owners.

Due to feeding response, people might get bitten accidentally.

9 thoughts on “Argentine Black-and-White Tegu

  1. Felicitas

    Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.
    You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your
    intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something informative to read?

    Reply
  2. Penni

    whoah this weblog is fantastic i love studying your articles.
    Stay up the great work! You understand, lots of persons are searching around for this info,
    you can help them greatly.

    Reply
  3. Rico

    I’m now not certain where you are getting your information, but great topic.

    I must spend some time finding out more or figuring out more.

    Thank you for magnificent information I was looking for this info
    for my mission.

    Reply
  4. Claudio

    Your style is unique in comparison to other people I’ve read stuff from.
    Many thanks for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I’ll just book mark this
    site.

    Reply
  5. Rene

    What’s up i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anywhere, when i read this post i thought i could also
    make comment due to this sensible article.

    Reply
  6. Margret

    I just like the helpful info you supply on your articles. I will
    bookmark your weblog and check again right here regularly.
    I am quite certain I will be informed a lot of new stuff
    right right here! Best of luck for the following!

    Reply
  7. Dillon

    always i used to read smaller articles or reviews that as well clear their motive, and that is also happening with this post which
    I am reading at this place.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *