Lycodon zawi, commonly known as Zaw's wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia

Lycodon zawi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Lycodon
Species:
L. zawi
Binomial name
Lycodon zawi
Slowinski et al., 2001

Etymology

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The specific name, zawi, is in honor of U Khin Maung Zaw, Director of the Myanmar Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division.[2][3]

Geographic range

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L. zawi is found in Bangladesh, northeastern India (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura), and Myanmar (formerly called Burma).[4]

Description

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Dorsally, L. zawi is brownish black with white crossbands. Ventrally, it is cream-colored. It can grow to 48 cm (19 inches) in total length (including tail).[5]

Habitat

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Zaw's wolf snake was discovered dwelling in forests and near streams at elevations of less than 500 m (1,600 ft)[1] in Assam, India, including Garbhange Reserve Forest, and in northern Myanmar.

Diet

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L. zawi feeds mainly on small lizards such as skinks and geckos.[6]

Reproduction

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L. zawi is oviparous.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Wogan, G.; Vogel, G. (2012). "Lycodon zawi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T176846A1449629. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T176846A1449629.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Slowinski et al., 2001, p. 402.
  3. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lycodon zawi, p. 293).
  4. ^ a b Species Lycodon zawi at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  5. ^ Slowinski et al., 2001, p. 398.
  6. ^ Slowinski et al., 2001, p. 403.

Further reading

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  • Das I (2012). A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of South-East Asia: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford, England: John Beaufoy Publishing. 176 pp. ISBN 978-1906780708.
  • Majumder, Joydeb (2018). "Record of Lycodon zawi (Squamata: Colubridae) in Tripura and its range extension in northeast India: an Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots [sic] of the world". Biodiversity International Journal 2 (3): 303–304.
  • Slowinski JB, Pawar SS, Win H, Thin T, Gyi SW, Oo SL, Tun H (2001). "A New Lycodon (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Northeast India and Myanmar (Burma)". Proceedings of the California Acadademy of Sciences 52: 397–405. (Lycodon zawi, new species).
  • Whitaker R, Captain A (2008). Snakes of India: The Field Guide. Chennai: Draco Books. 495 pp. ISBN 978-8190187305.