northern wolf snake | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
Genus: | Lycodon |
Species: | L. striatus |
Binomial name | |
Lycodon striatus (Shaw, 1802) |
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Synonyms | |
Coluber striatus Shaw, 1802 |
The northern wolf snake Lycodon striatus is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake.
Contents |
It is found in Sri Lanka, NW India (Maharashtra), Pakistan, S Turkmenistan (Kopet-Dagh), W Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, E/NE Iran, and Afghanistan.
Type locality: "Vizagapatam and Hyderabad".
Lycodon striatus is dark brown or black above, with white transverse spots or crossbands, which are widely separated anteriorly. The sides are lineolated with white, with a black spot corresponding to each white crossband. The upper lip and ventrum are uniform white. [coloration in alcohol] The longest adult measured [as of 1893] was 43 cm (17 inches) in total length, with a tail 7.5 cm (3 inches) long.[2]
Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate race.