The red tegu (Salvator rufescens) is a lizard native to western Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Males are significantly larger, reaching up to 140 cm (4.5 ft) and developing large jowls.In the wild, red tegus are diurnal and terrestrial.

Living in a temperate climate in Argentina, they brumate in the winter, burying themselves and remaining largely dormant during the coldest periods, in some areas for up to seven months.

[6] In the ecotone between the arid Chaco and the Espinal of central Argentina, they are known to naturally hybridise with the Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae) with a stable hybrid zone.

Wild specimens will eat a variety of plant and animal matter: fruits, vegetables, insects, rodents, birds, and fish.