Tribolonotus gracilis

Red-eyed crocodile skink
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Tribolonotus
Species: T. gracilis
Binomial name
Tribolonotus gracilis
de Rooij, 1909[1]

Tribolonotus gracilis is a species of skink endemic to New Guinea.[1]

Habitat

Tribolonotus gracilis are found in New Guinea island in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. They live in tropical forests and have also been found in human-populated areas.

Common names

They are commonly known as red-eyed crocodile skinks, or, rarely, red-eyed bush crocodile skinks.

Behavior

Tribolonotus gracilis is one of the few species of lizards that vocalize[1] when in distress. When startled, they tend to freeze and have been known to "play dead" (even when handled).

Reproduction

Red-eyed crocodile skinks can be sexed using the pores on their front feet, as only males have these "pores". Females have only a single working ovary (right ovary), laying one egg at a time. The female often curls around the egg. They show tendencies for mother-child family groups. Male crocodile skinks will battle other males for females and females can be territorial as well.

Captivity

Red-eyed crocodile skinks are popular in the pet trade but are still considered exotic pets. For captivity they require a large terrarium that can withstand high humidity that the species requires. For nutrient most red-eyed crocodile skinks eat a variety of insects such as fruit flies, mealworms, and small crickets. Like most species of reptiles in captivity, most reptiles need a calcium supplement with their regular food.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. ↑ Russell, Matt. "Crocodile Sking Animal Biography" (PDF). Animal Biography. Retrieved 26 January 2017.

Further reading

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