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New Guinea crocodile skink
Tribolonotus novaeguineae
A unique, prehistoric-looking reptile from New Guinea with prominent spiny scales resembling a miniature crocodile, requiring high humidity and low stress.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Scincidae
Subfamily:Lygosominae
Genus:Tribolonotus
Species:Tribolonotus novaeguineae
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Water Temperature
20 - 28 °C
Environment
Terrestrial / Semi-aquatic
Humidity
75 - 90 %
Day temperature
23 - 26 °C
Ambient temperature
23 - 26 °C
Night temperature
19 - 21 °C
Basking spot
27 °C
Adult size
10.3 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 150 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat:
Tribolonotus novaeguineae is native to the island of New Guinea and a few adjacent islands. It inhabits the floor of low-to-mid elevation primary tropical rainforests. This species prefers microhabitats that are extremely humid and cool, hiding under wet leaf litter, rotting logs, decaying coconut shells, and damp rocks near streams and riverbanks.
Taxonomy and Genetics:
This reptile belongs to the family Scincidae (skinks) and the genus Tribolonotus. Genetics and morphology distinguish them from typical skinks due to their raised, armored scales. Unlike the closely related Tribolonotus gracilis, Tribolonotus novaeguineae lacks the bright orange eye rings, maintaining an entirely dark coloration.
Behavior and Habits:
It is a shy, terrestrial, crepuscular, and nocturnal species. It spends most of its time hidden beneath the substrate or within hides. They have semi-aquatic habits and will submerge themselves if startled. When threatened, they can emit a unique croaking vocalization and may enter a state of apparent death (thanatosis) to deter predators.
Morphology:
Its morphology is striking: it features four rows of spiny scales running along the back and tail resembling a crocodile's armor, and protective bony plates on the head. Adults reach a total length of 15 to 20 centimeters, with the tail accounting for half of this length. The color is a uniform dark brown or blackish tone with a matte texture.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup:
Requires a terrarium measuring at least 60x45x45 cm (approx. 24x18x18 inches) for a single specimen or pair. The substrate must be at least 8 to 10 cm deep, consisting of coconut fiber, damp peat moss, and covered with sphagnum moss and leaf litter. A spacious water section or a deep water bowl must be included to allow full submergence.
Lighting and Heating:
As forest-dwelling, nocturnal animals, they dislike intense lighting. Use low-intensity LED lights for plants and a 5.0% UVB tube light above the screen to support bone health. Temperatures must be kept cool, between 22°C and 25°C (71°F to 77°F) during the day, dropping to 18°C (64°F) at night. Avoid temperatures exceeding 28°C (82°F).
Humidity and Hydration:
Humidity levels must be kept high, between 80% and 95%. Heavy daily misting is required. The substrate should remain damp to the touch but not muddy. The water in the aquatic section must be dechlorinated and filtered or changed frequently, as these skinks often defecate in water.
Feeding and Supplementation:
The diet is insectivorous. Offer live prey such as crickets, roaches, earthworms (highly favored), silkworms, and newly molted mealworms. Dust feeder insects with calcium and vitamin D3 twice a week for adults, and a complete multivitamin supplement once a week to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
Compatibility:
They are solitary and territorial. Multiple males must never be housed together to prevent fighting and severe injuries. A male-female pair can be housed together only in a spacious enclosure with abundant hiding spots. Do not house with other reptile or amphibian species.
Health and Common Diseases:
Common issues include respiratory infections due to drafts or stagnant air, dehydration if humidity drops below 70%, bacterial skin infections from dirty substrate, and Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) from a lack of calcium or UVB. Regular spot cleaning and parameter monitoring are vital for health.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Tribolonotus novaeguineae is native to the island of New Guinea and a few adjacent islands. It inhabits the floor of low-to-mid elevation primary tropical rainforests. This species prefers microhabitats that are extremely humid and cool, hiding under wet leaf litter, rotting logs, decaying coconut shells, and damp rocks near streams and riverbanks.
Origin
Africa and MadagascarAustralia, New Guinea, and Oceania
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 10.3 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 10.3 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 10.3 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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