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A green caiman lizard with an orange head resting on a log.
Photo: Brett Weinstein, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Caiman Lizard

Dracaena guianensis

A green, red-headed South American lizard with crocodile-like scales that swims well and crushes snails with its strong jaws.

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About the Caiman Lizard

Caiman lizards grow 2 to 4 feet long and weigh 3 to 6 pounds. They're named after caimans, a kind of crocodilian, because of the bumpy scales on their backs and their long, flat tails. They live in forests along rivers in Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Peru. They rest on branches over the water and drop in to swim away from danger.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Dracaena guianensis[1]
Size
2 to 4 feet long.[1]
Weight
3 to 6 pounds.[1]
Diet
Mostly snails, plus clams.[1]
Habitat
Riverside areas of tropical forests.[1]
Where it lives
Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Peru.[1]
Babies
Eggs laid in a hole in a riverbank. No parental care.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2014).[2]

Fun facts

  • Caiman lizards spit out snail shells after eating the snail.[1]
  • A clear third eyelid works like swim goggles.[1]
  • They drop from branches into rivers to escape danger.[1]

Vocabulary

caiman
A kind of crocodilian from Central and South America.
semi-aquatic
Living partly in water and partly on land.
riparian
Along the banks of a river or stream.
third eyelid
A clear eyelid that slides across the eye to protect it.
least concern
A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] San Francisco Zoo & Gardens. “Caiman lizard.” https://www.sfzoo.org/caiman-lizard/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Dracaena guianensis (Northern Caiman Lizard).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44579645/44579652 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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