Shinisauridae

Shinisauridae is a monotypic family of anguimorph lizards containing a single living species, the Chinese crocodile lizard, in the monotypic genus Shinisaurus. Two subspecies are recognized: one in the cool forests of Guangxi and Guangdong provinces in southeastern China, the other in northeastern Vietnam's Yen Tu Mountain region. It is a semiaquatic lizard, green with a reddish neck and alternating light and dark banding, 40 to 46 centimeters long, with rows of bony scales down its back and muscular tail that give it a crocodile-like appearance; males are larger and more colorful than females. The Chinese crocodile lizard is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and was moved from Appendix II to Appendix I of CITES in 2017.