The preferred habitat of the East African armadillo lizard is dry forests.

A conspicuous black stripe runs along each side of the neck from the ear to the shoulder.

Adults are 160–190 mm (6.3–7.5 in) in total length (including tail).

The Ukinga girdled lizard has distinctive white lips, a small ridge over each eye (supraocular ridge), and the loreal scale is fused with the preocular scale (they are separate in C. tropidosternum and C. jonesii ).

With gentle handling and plenty of hiding places, tropical girdled lizards become excellent, long-lived pets and can be trained to accept food from their owner’s hand.