Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Interesting species but I don't believe its a true tegu.

Dan

Pretty animal. Loves chasing down fish like a gator.

Dan

What kind of tegu is this? Is it a hybrid? It looks cool. Where did you get it from?
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1.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
0.1 French Bulldog

Crocodilurus amazonicus is the latin name and its no cross but a full species. Got it from a friend and don't remember where he got it but its a rare animal in captivity.

Dan 

Actually, I think the correct latin name is Crocodilurus lacertinus. I believe the species was first described as Tupinambis lacertinus by Daudin in 1802. It was subsequently re-described in 1825 as Crocodilurus amazonicus by Spix. Upon re-examination by Dumeril & Bibron in 1839, they fealt there was significant morphological differences to remove the species from the genus Tupinambis, and therefore reclassified it as genus Crocodilurus but by zoological nomenclature regulations gave it the preceding species epithet of lacertinus.

Nice looking lizard though, I've only seen preserved specimens.

I don't know but I did a search in my computer and it led me to believe it was changed to amazonicus most recently.

Journal of Herpetology
Volume 35, Number 2
June 2001

Crocodilurus amazonicus Spix, 1825: The Valid Name for Crocodilurus lacertinus Auctorum (nec Daudin, 1802) (Squamata: Teiidae). Jean-Christophe de Massary and Marinus S. Hoogmoed, pages 353–357.

in reading the article beyond the title, the story may not be so clear. In it, the authors suggest that Daudin did not describe what is/was currently known as Crocodilurus lacertinus, but instead was describing Neusticurus bicarinatus (of which I will admit it seems they are correct). However, it doesn't end there. The scientific community still needs to agree to this reclassification, and so far it looks like this hasn't happened. Since de Massary and Hoogmoed's 2001 paper, there has been very few publications to utilize the amazonicus species designation. All others I've seen retain the lacertinus species designation. My south american counterparts who work with the animal in question also retain the lacertinus species designation. So it may not be so "cut and dried".

Just checked with a herpetologist and it's an accepted change within the scientific community as amazonicus. Email me if you would like more infomation and I will put you in contact with him.

Dan

I've talked with several herpetologists too, and they adhere to Crocodilurus lacertinus, so clearly it hasn't been adopted as widespread as you're proposing. One herpetologist does not make the community.
Personally, I am agreeing with you; from what I've read it sounds that the correct name should be Crocodilurus amazonicus, but from what I'm seeing, it isn't agreed upon universally.

I don't know but I think I indicated the herpetologist said it was agreed upon universally. It was not my opinion or his, it was what he knows about the scientific name of that animal being changed from one name to another. And he has written over 100 books about reptiles, so perhaps he knows better then me, so like I said, email me and I will put you in contact with him for further info if you are interested. For all I am concerned about it is that I have a nice green lizard that eats fish and mice, although I would like to eventually find it a mate but heard that is impossible now with CITIES etc.

Dan

Crocodilurus lacertinus, depends on what your definition of a "true tegu" is. Clearly, it's not a member of the Tupinambis genus, but it is a member of the Teiidae family.