Western Collared Spiny Lizard

Western Collared Spiny Lizard

Tropidurus catalanensis

Silhouette: Heitor Campos de Sousa · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
at Iguazú National Park

In 3 days >90%

587 Verified sightings at Iguazú National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,152 In all 2 parks
December Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Western Collared Spiny Lizard

Tropidurus catalanensis is a species of lizard in the family Tropiduridae, the neotropical ground lizards. It is native to South America, where it can be found in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~80%
2 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~80%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 São Paulo 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Oakland Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Closest Relatives at Iguazú National Park

No species of the same family or order lives in Iguazú National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Western Collared Spiny Lizard in Iguazú National Park?

Very likely

About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Western Collared Spiny Lizard sighting in Iguazú National Park on a given day, based on 587 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 18 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Western Collared Spiny Lizard in Iguazú National Park?

May–June, August and October–March

In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Western Collared Spiny Lizard in Iguazú National Park on a given day, against about 70% in April, July and September, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Western Collared Spiny Lizard?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Collared Spiny Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Iguazú National Park the best place to see a Western Collared Spiny Lizard?

Yes

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Western Collared Spiny Lizard sightings, Iguazú National Park has the highest daily chance: about 80%. Next come Iguaçu National Park (Brazil, about 80%).

Where does the Western Collared Spiny Lizard sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Western Collared Spiny Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Iguazú National Park (587 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Iguazú National Park