The green keel-bellied lizard lives in trees, where it occupies hollows that have been found as high as 12 metres above the ground. Its green coloration provides excellent camouflage among the leaves, making it difficult to spot.
As it moves through the branches, the lizard uses its long tail to maintain balance. The tail makes up about 70% of its total body length, and its entire body is covered in scales.
The scales on the belly are not smooth but have a raised ridge — shaped like the keel of a ship, the board that extends below the hull to keep the vessel from capsizing. This keel-like ridge is what gives the lizard its name.