Smaller forest fragments were less densely populated with the skinks. As for the skinks themselves, Joanna found that those in the forest fragments were smaller, weighed less and showed some changes in shape compared to those captured in continuous forest. The red throated rainforest skink is usually grey or brown on the back with a pale belly and a copper coloured head. During the breeding season adults of both sexes develop a bright scarlet throat and chin. This colour extends down to the front legs in females and further down the body in males.
Some males have a red underside right down to their back legs at the height of the breeding season.
The colour on the throat is believed to be used to signal other skinks while not attracting predators. Females lay two eggs at a time and may have two or three clutches of eggs during a wet season if conditions are good. The eggs are layed at the edge of sun spots in the rainforest and generally take 4-6 weeks to hatch. Mature rainbow skinks are generally 70-8Omm from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. The differences in size and weight may reflect either differences in growth rate or survivorship.