Reptiles · Squamata · Teiidae

Northern Caiman Lizard

Dracaena guianensis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The northern caiman lizard, known in Spanish as lagarto caimán or iguana cabeza roja, is a species of squamate reptile of the family Teiidae that lives in the marshy areas of northern South America. It has a long tail, similar to that of the caimans. That tail is useful for swimming and diving. It feeds mainly on snails.

Weight

2 kg – 4.5 kg

Size

90 cm – 1.2 m

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestFreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Rainforest Freshwater

8countries 11parks3same family

Fun facts

GeneralIts molar-like teeth are specialised for crushing water snails.
It eats almost nothing but snails: it has broad, flattened molars and enormous jaw muscles for crushing the shells, and then spits out the fragments and swallows only the flesh.
Its specialisation is so extreme that its skull resembles that of a durophagous mammal more than that of a lizard, and it is a classic case study in the functional anatomy of reptiles.
It swims with its laterally flattened tail, like a crocodile, and can stay submerged for long stretches searching for snails on the floor of flooded forest.