Chinese Crocodile Lizard

Chinese Crocodile Lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is a lizard recorded for Vietnam in the project inventory. Its supporting occurrence note is “Expert range list”. The exact scientific name is retained because many Vietnamese reptiles are recently described, geographically restricted or difficult to distinguish from close relatives. This profile therefore separates the recorded identity and occurrence from broader biological context instead of inventing unsupported locality, size, diet or breeding details (project species data; Reptile Database taxonomy).

Shinisaurus crocodilurus is a semi-aquatic lizard associated across its range with cool, shaded forest streams and waterside vegetation. It swims readily, often rests on branches above water and feeds on small animal prey. Unlike most lizards, females give birth to live young. These are general species-level characteristics and are not presented as observations from a particular Vietnamese locality; exact measurements, litter figures and conservation claims are omitted here because this entry does not establish them from a Vietnam-specific source (general species account; Reptile Database).