- Colombian Black and White, T. teguixin - Blue, T. teguixin sp.
- Gold, T. nigropunctatus - Argentine Black and White, T.
merianae - Red, T. rufescens Tegu is the common name for a
species complex of large lizards. The name comes from the
Nahuatl (Aztec) tecoixin , meaning lizard. Tegus are large,
carnivorous lizards indiginous to South America. They are the
ecological equivalents of the varanid family, and are an often-
cited example of convergent evolution The Black and White, Gold
and Blue tegus are all smaller members of the genus, growing to
a size of roughly 3 feet and weighing 7 pounds. They have
similar diets and behaviour, and inhabit similar climates. These
three species can be found as far north as Colombia and as far
south as Argentina. They are almost exclusively carnivorous, and
feed upon insects and other invertebrates when young, moving to
frogs, lizards, snakes and all kinds of eggs as they reach
adulthood. The Red tegu, on the other hand, is larger than its
congenerics (up to 4.5 feet and 25