Caiman Lizard (Dracaena guianensis)

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Overview

The caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis) is a large, robust, semi-aquatic lizard of the swamps and flooded forests of the Amazon basin. It gets its name from its resemblance to a caiman or crocodile: rows of raised, bony-looking scales (osteoderms) run down its green body and powerful tail, and it swims well, using the laterally flattened tail for propulsion. A relative of the tegus, it has a reddish or orange head and a stout, muscular build.

Its body is built around a very particular diet: caiman lizards are specialists at eating hard-shelled prey, above all aquatic snails, which they crush with broad, flat teeth and exceptionally strong jaws.

Note: details here cover the northern caiman lizard; treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Caiman lizards live in the tropical rainforests of northern South America — including the Amazon and Orinoco regions — in and around swamps, marshes, flooded forest, and slow streams. They are strongly tied to water, basking on branches over rivers and dropping in to swim and forage, and they shelter in trees and dense waterside vegetation.

Diet

The caiman lizard is a carnivore specialising in hard-shelled aquatic prey, especially snails, plus clams, crayfish, and other invertebrates, and it will take some other small animals. It plucks a snail from the water, holds it in its jaws, and crushes the shell with its powerful flat rear teeth, then uses its tongue and jaws to separate the soft body from the shell fragments before swallowing.

Behavior

Caiman lizards are active by day and divide their time between basking, climbing, and swimming. They are accomplished swimmers and divers, propelling themselves with the strong tail, and can stay underwater for a time while foraging on the bottom for snails. Like their tegu relatives they are alert and capable, and when threatened they may flee into water, lash with the tail, or bite. Their armoured scales offer some protection against predators.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Caiman lizards are striking animals sometimes kept in the exotic pet trade (where legal), and they have been hunted for their skin in some areas. They depend on healthy wetland and flooded-forest habitat and on plentiful snails, so habitat loss is the main concern, though they remain reasonably widespread. Consult authoritative sources for current status.

More photos of the caiman lizard