Argentine black and white tegu

Salvator merianae

Stats

Length:

Females are 3ft and males are 4.5ft

height:

Weight:

Lifespan:

15-20 years

Sexual Maturity:

3 years or less

Breeding Season:

Spring

Gestation Period:

40-70 days

Eats

Black and White Tegu's diet consists of insects, spiders, snails, fruits, seeds, small mammals, birds, and even other reptiles eggs. Tegus are known to eat eggs in the wild and have been seen disrupting many different nesting sites to feed, even those belonging to Florida alligators

Lives

Argentine tegus can be found in East and Central South America living in tropical rain forests, savannas, and semi-deserts.

Behavior

Tegus spend lots of time in underground burrows to stay protected from predators, dehydration, and extreme temperatures. The Black and White Tegu is able to lose it's tail as a distraction from predators, but it is very rare for them to do so as they have very few predators. They can also use their tail as a whip if threatened.

Description

The Black and White Argentine Tegu is the largest species of tegus. These tegus are known for their distinctive black and white coloration, with a pattern of black bands or stripes across their bodies. Male tegus have bigger jowls ("chubby cheeks") than females which can be used to attract mates. Tegus also have a forked tongue that helps them pick up scent particles in multiple directions in order to better identify their surroundings and the directionality of what they are smelling. They are terrestrial reptiles, spending a lot of their time on the ground and are known to be proficient diggers.