Lycodon aulicus
Lycodon aulicus, commonly known as the Indian wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Early naturalists have suggested its resemblance to the venomous common krait as an instance of Batesian mimicry.
The Indian wolf snake is a non-venomous snake with variable coloration. The genus name Lycodon is derived from the Greek words λύκος (lykos) meaning wolf and οδόν (odon) meaning tooth, and refers to the fang-like anterior maxillary and mandibular teeth of the species.
Indian wolf snakes are found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India (north to Himalayas and Assam; Maharashtra,Gujarat), Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar. They inhabit moist and dry forests, shrubland, cultivated areas, gardens, plantations, and in human settlements.
Indian wolf snakes are nocturnal creatures and are inactive during the day resting in hollow tree trunks or in caves. They are solitary, very shy, and alert, and if threatened they defend themselves vigorously. They will defend themselves when barred from escape and can cause severe lacerations with their fine sharp "fangs". They may also feign death to lure in potential prey and avoid being chased by predators.
These snakes are carnivores and feed mainly on lizards, frogs and mice.
Indian wolf snakes breed twice a year prior to the monsoons and lay 4-11 eggs. The eggs hatch in September or October and the hatchlings are 14-19 cm (5½-7⅜ inches) long.
Indian wolf snakes are widespread throughout their native range and don’t face major threats at present.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Indian wolf snake total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
