Which species?

[Pieter]

Some weeks ago I saw the creature as shown on the attached picture in Suriname. I guess it is a tegu, but I wonder which species this is?

In Suriname, the local people seem to call it a sapakara, but since they call any species of bird with some yellow in it a grietjebie, I don't think this information will be very useful for the determination. I was also told the creature taste delicious when grilled, but I don't think this is useful information either.

More useful information might be the size, which would be about 80 cm. The creature was quite shy, I could takes some pictures of the creature enjoying the sun, but it rapidly moved into the shrubs. The tongue was red or pink.

Best regards,

Pieter

 

[tora]

Wow that's pretty interesting. I hope someone can tell us what is is.
It definitely does look to be in the same family as tegus, but I don't know much.
I like how it looks like it's floating.

 

[eddyjack]

Now that is cool! Nice Picture.

 

[james.w]

I'm gonna take a guess and say it is a gold tegu.

 

[Toby_H]

It looks more like a yonug Argentina Black & White Tegu (Tupinambis merianae) to me... but in Suriname I would expect to see Columbian or Gold Tegus (Tupinambis teguixin)...

 

[Toby_H]

It looks more like a yonug Argentina Black & White Tegu (Tupinambis merianae) to me... but in Suriname I would expect to see Columbian or Gold Tegus (Tupinambis teguixin)...

 

[tora]

It doesn't look like an Argentine at all to me, it's colors are too sporadic. It deff looks like a colombian now that I look again.

 

[Guest]

Love this shot (I just noticed the partially regenerated tail on closer inspection)!

I would be shocked if this is not an adult t. teguixin. I agree with Tora's comment on the pattern, but the face alone would convince me. I kept a pair for years and would recognize that mug anywhere.

 

[Pieter]

Thank you all for your replies. The picture actually is a video still, which was made using a digital camera mounted on a telescope at a distance of about 50 metres. This set-up I normally use to observe birds, but it apparently it also works for tegu's! Attached you'll find another video still.