Zaw's Wolf Snake ( Lycodon zawi Slowinski, Pawar, W, Thin, Gyi, Oo & Tun, 2001 )

Zaw's Wolf Snake ( Lycodon zawi Slowinski, Pawar, W, Thin, Gyi, Oo & Tun, 2001 )



Scientific Name:
Lycodon zawi (Slowinski, Pawar, W, Thin, Gyi, Oo & Tun, 2001)
Zaw's Wolf Snake - Zaw's Wolf Snake : Full body profile
Distribution:
In India it has been recorded from Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura.
Family:
Colubridae
Characteristics for identification:

Looks close to Common Wolf. In Lycodon zawi (Lycodon zawi) loreal scale does not touch internasal while in Lycodon aulicus (Common Wolf) loreal always in contact with internasal. Bands in Lycodon zawi are lesser in number which do not spread on side dorsals. Head of Locodon aulicus is more flatter and in most cases, the band will be present on the neck too.
Description:

Dorsal body-
Body slender with shiny smooth scales of same size. Dorsal colour glossy brown. Milky white or yellowish-white cross bands from posterior of neck upto end of tail where they usually become faint.

Ventral body -
Belly creamy white with darker edge. Subcaudal scales paired in a zigzag manner.

Head -
Head depressed and broader than neck. Upper lip color brown or lighter than dorsal color. Eyes entirely black.

Tail -
Normal length tail with faint bands; ends with pointed tip.
Hide Scalation
Head:
Supralabial 8 or 9; 3rd to 5th in contact with eyes; preocular 1; loreal 1, not in contact with internasal; postocular 1 or 2; temporal 2+3, 1+2, 2+1, 2+2 or 3+4.
Dorsal:
Smooth scales in 17:17:15 rows.
Ventral:
179-207; angulated laterally; anal divided.
Sub Caudal:
45-75; paired.
Diet:
Feeds on geckos and skinks.
Hide Look Alike
Common Wolf Snake