Argentine Black-and-white Tegu
Argentine Black-and-white TeguArgentine Black-and-white TeguArgentine Black-and-white TeguArgentine Black-and-white Tegu

Argentine Black-and-white Tegu

Salvator merianae

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
60–70% · Likely
overall probability at Iguazú National Park
369 Verified records at Iguazú National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae), also commonly known as the Argentine giant tegu, the black and white tegu, the blue tegu, and the huge tegu, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species is the largest of the "tegu" lizards. It is an omnivorous species, which inhabits the tropical rain forests, savannas, and semideserts of eastern and central South America. It is native to south and southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, eastern Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Tegu lizards are sometimes kept as pets, being notable for their unusually high intelligence and their relatively gentle nature. Like some reptiles, tegus enter brumation in autumn when ambient temperature drops. Wikipedia →

60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Argentine Black-and-white Tegu sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 369 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

📅 Monthly Probability

70–80
Jan
70–80
Feb
50–60
Mar
20–30
Apr
5–10
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
20–30
Aug
50–60
Sep
70–80
Oct
80–90
Nov
80–90
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
60–70%
2 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
60–70%
3 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
60–70%
4 El Palmar National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
50–60%
5 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
40–50%
6 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
40–50%
7 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
30–40%
8 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
30–40%
9 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
20–30%
10 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
11 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
12 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
13 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
14 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
15 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
16 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Argentine Black-and-white Tegu in Iguazú National Park?

About 63% of wildlife watchers report a Argentine Black-and-white Tegu sighting in Iguazú National Park, based on 369 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Argentine Black-and-white Tegu in Iguazú National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Argentine Black-and-white Tegu in Iguazú National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Iguazú National Park