Tegus Whiptail Lizards and Relatives: Teiidae

Most of the whiptails, tegus, and other members of this family will eat nearly any type of insect they find, and some large species will also eat fruit. The tegus eat fruit, too, but will also eat eggs, as well as living or dead animals. The Caiman lizards eat mostly snails, which they find while swimming in streams and swamps. Larger species, such as the giant ameivas that grow to be about 2 feet (61 centimeters) long, will eat small vertebrates (VER-teh-brehts), which are animals with backbones. They will also eat fruit that has fallen to the ground from plants and trees.

The lizards in this family usually hunt for their food with their keen eyesight or with their good sense of smell. Some species can pick up odors especially well and can even find insects that are buried underground.