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Chinese crocodile lizard
Species of lizard / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Shonisaurus or Shinosaur.
The Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is a semiaquatic anguimorph lizard found only in cool forests in southeastern China and northeastern Vietnam. The Chinese crocodile lizard spends much of its time in shallow water or in overhanging branches and vegetation, where it hunts its prey of insects, snails, tadpoles, and worms. Individuals in captivity may be fed baby mice.[3] A rare and little-studied lizard, it is listed in CITES Appendix II,[4] which regulates international trade of specimens.[5] This is the only species in the monotypic genus Shinisaurus.[6] It is the only living member of Shinisauria, a clade of lizards whose fossil record extends back to the Early Cretaceous, over 120 million years ago.
Quick Facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...
Chinese crocodile lizard | |
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At the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Clade: | Shinisauria |
Family: | Shinisauridae Ahl, 1930 |
Genus: | Shinisaurus Ahl, 1930 |
Species: | S. crocodilurus |
Binomial name | |
Shinisaurus crocodilurus Ahl, 1930 | |
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