The red tegu (''Salvator rufescens'') is a

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

native to western

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

and

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

. It is sold in the pet trade around the world due to its ease of care and relatively docile nature.

Description

As hatchlings, most red tegus display little, if any, red coloration. The red tegu grows rapidly, typically reaching maturity in two to three years. It is not uncommon for well-fed juveniles to experience growth spurts of more than an inch per week. They are typically brownish-green with black strips across their width and several broken white stripes down their length. They develop red coloration as they mature; males are usually brighter than females.Pianka, E. R. (2006)
Lizards: Windows to the Evolution of Diversity
University of California Press. Adult females can reach 91 cm (just under 3 ft) in length. Males are significantly larger, reaching up to 140 cm (4.5 ft) and developing large jowls. File:20110721 Berkenhof Zoo (0088).jpg File:Animais do Jardim Zoológico de São Paulo 11.JPG File:Tupinambis rufescens01.jpg, Female (center) and male (right) resting

Behavior

In the wild, red tegus are diurnal and terrestrial. Living in a temperate climate in Argentina, they

brumate Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be cl ...

in the winter, burying themselves and remaining largely dormant during the coldest periods, in some areas for up to seven months. They also burrow as a matter of habit at other times of year. In the

ecotone An ecotone is a transitional area between two plant communities, where these meet and integrate. Examples include areas between grassland and forest, estuaries and lagoon, freshwater and sea water etc. An ecotone may be narrow or wide, and it ma ...

between the arid Chaco and the Espinal of central Argentina, they are known to naturally hybridise with the

Argentine black and white tegu The Argentine black and white tegu (''Salvator merianae''), also Common name, commonly known as the Argentine giant tegu, the black and white tegu, the blue tegu, and the huge tegu, is a species of lizards in the Family (biology), family Teiidae ...

(''Salvator merianae'') with a stable

hybrid zone A hybrid zone exists where the ranges of two interbreeding species or diverged intraspecific lineages meet and cross-fertilize. Hybrid zones can form ''in situ'' due to the evolution of a new lineage but generally they result from secondary cont ...

Diet

The red tegu is a very opportunistic feeder. Wild specimens will eat a variety of plant and animal matter: fruits, vegetables, insects, rodents, birds, and fish. Red tegus raised in captivity will often be more picky eaters, especially as juveniles, and may prefer a diet of mostly meat. Being

omnivore An omnivore () is an animal that regularly consumes significant quantities of both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize t ...

s, red tegus will eat a diverse range of foods, with a focus on animal protein, including small to medium rodents, birds, many insects, and any dead animal they can scavenge.

Captivity

These reptiles are common in the exotic pet trade due to their mostly docile nature. Red tegus in captivity can be known to live up to 20years. They can be trained with clickers and are known for following their owners around the house "like a dog". MacGyver the Lizard is a famous example of one such red tegu.

Reproduction and Research

Red tegus have been shown to be valuable model organisms in studies on reproductive biology. A 2016 study found that males exhibit a trade-off between investment in secondary sexual traits, seasonally, such as enlarged jaw muscles used in mate competition, and post-copulatory sperm characteristics.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q18460489, from2=Q1429898 Salvator (lizard) Lizards of South America Reptiles of Argentina Reptiles of Bolivia Reptiles of Paraguay Fauna of the Pantanal Reptiles described in 1871 Taxa named by Albert Günther