Lycodon striatus

northern wolf snake
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)
Synonyms

Coluber striatus Shaw, 1802
Lycodon striatus - Günther, 1864[1]

The northern wolf snake Lycodon striatus is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake.

Contents

Geographic range

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".

Description

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]

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate race.

References

  1. ^ Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume I. London.
  2. ^ Boulenger, G.A. 1893. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume I. London.
  3. ^ The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org