The gold tegu, also known as the golden tegu, common tegu, black tegu, Colombian black and white tegu and tiger lizard (in Trinidad),^[3] is a species of tegu.

Quick Facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...

Gold tegu
on Trinidad
Conservation status
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Teiidae
Genus:	Tupinambis
Species:	T. teguixin
Binomial name
Tupinambis teguixin Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms[2]
Teius teguexim (Linnaeus, 1758) Tupinambis nigropunctatus (Spix, 1825) Lacerta teguexim (Linnaeus, 1758)

Close

Its old scientific name (synonym) was Tupinambis nigropunctatus, but it has since renamed to Tupinambis teguixin.^[2]

Gold tegus grow to be about 2 to 3 ft (60 to 100 cm) long on average, and up to 3.5 to 4.0 kg in weight, with a glossy body, powerful limbs and a thick tail.^[4] They have many black and gold stripes down their bodies.

Gold tegus live in the tropical forests of northern and central South America, as well as in Panama.^[4] Its South American range extends to the island of Trinidad.^[5]

They feed on insects, other invertebrates (such as snails), small mammals, other reptiles (such as smaller lizards and small snakes), birds, and fish; it takes nest eggs of birds, turtles, and caimans. It sometimes eats fruit and honey.^[5]

They typically do not make as good a pet as their larger southern relatives, the Argentine black and white tegu and the red tegu; however, if handled frequently, they can make a good pet.^[6]