Biodiversity
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Giant Tegu
Salvator merianae | Duméril & Bibron, 1839
PHOTO: Property of Native / Embrapa
Characteristics: Large species measuring about 1.4m in length. This is a robust and very agile lizard. It has a bluish black background coloring with dark yellow freckled transversal stripes ranging to its tail. Hatchlings have a different coloration from adults, especially due to the predominant metallic-green shade in the front half of the body and the golden-brown color on the back. They live about 16 years.
Distribution: These animals can be found everywhere from the south of Amazonas to almost all other regions of the country, all the way to northern Argentina.
Habitat: Open to forest formations.
Habits: Diurnal and terrestrial, burrowing up at night. This species inhabits holes in the ground with wide openings, often dug under the roots of trees, other times, however, open ground, where it is very fast.
Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on carrion, fruits, eggs, insects, and rodents.
Breeding: Oviparous, this species lays 30 to 36 eggs per brood, which hatch after 60 to 90 days of incubation.
UFRA: Species found in all environments.