Tegus are large reptiles, with some species reaching a total length of around 1.23 m (4.0 ft),[1] and a weight of approximately 6.8 kg (15 lb).

[3] Biomechanical studies have shown that tegus have stronger limb bones than comparably-sized mammals or birds, a trait that may be inherent to amphibians and reptiles.

[4] They exhibit social and maternal behaviour; female tegus construct burrows to lay their eggs in, and will protect their brood until they hatch.

[9] Further evidence for sexual selection of these jowls comes from observations that ventral pterygoideus muscle mass increases in males during the reproductive season.

[12] Tegus are omnivorous, foraging for a wide range of foods using their forked tongues, including fruit, fungi, various arthropods, small vertebrates, carrion, and eggs.

Predation by feral tegus may pose a threat to Florida's endangered wildlife, such as the Key Largo woodrat and the American crocodile.

[26] Due to their fruit eating habits, tegus may serve an important ecological function by dispersing seeds through their droppings.