Lycophidion

Lycophidion
Lycophidion variegatum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Lamprophiidae
Subfamily: Lamprophiinae
Genus: Lycophidion
Fitzinger, 1843
Species

23 species, see text.

Lycophidion is a genus of nonvenomous lamprophiid snakes commonly referred to as the wolf snakes.

Lycophidion capense, cape wolf snake, Waterberg, Limpopo.

As of 2015 there are 23 recognized species in the genus.

Description and behavior

Wolf snakes are small snakes which forage at night for sleeping lizards. They have flat heads and large recurved teeth that are assumed to aid them in their extraction of lizards from their lairs.

Reproduction

All species in the genus Lycophidion are oviparous and lay between 3 and 10 eggs.

Lycophidion multimaculatum, the Spotted Wolf Snake, from Northern Namibia/Southwestern Zambia

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Lycophidion.

References

  1. 1 2 Uetz, Peter. "Search results - Lycophidion ". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  2. ↑ Marais, Johan (2004). A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa (New ed.). Cape Town: Struik. ISBN 978-1868729326.
  3. 1 2 Alexander, Graham; Marais, Johan (2007). A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa (3. impression. ed.). Cape Town: Struik. p. 94. ISBN 9781770073869. Retrieved 21 September 2015.

Further reading