Lanthanotus borneensis
Basic stats
Diet
Fish, invertebrates, small vertebrates (presumed)
Habitat
Streams and burrows near water
Range
Endemic to Borneo
Clutch size
Poorly documented, thought to be a small number of eggs
Incubation period
Poorly documented
Size
Medium (up to 40–48cm total length)
Weight
~50–100g
A genuinely extraordinary reptile: the sole living species in its own family (Lanthanotidae) and family-level lineage, often described as an evolutionary 'missing link' between monitor lizards and other lizard groups, with smooth, bead-like scales, tiny eyes and no external ear openings. Semi-aquatic and largely fossorial, spending much of its time in burrows near streams or submerged with only its nostrils above water.
Almost never seen in the wild — most confirmed records come from incidental captures rather than active sightings — and now protected from international trade after a period of intense demand from illegal wildlife collectors. Any genuine wild sighting is a remarkable and scientifically valuable event.
