Yellow Collared Wolf Snake ( Lycodon flavicollis Mukherjee & Bhupathy, 2007 )

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Name
Scientific Name: 
Lycodon flavicollis (Mukherjee & Bhupathy, 2007)
Regional Names: 
Kannada: 
ಹಳದಿ ಕತ್ತುಪಟ್ಟಿಯ ತೋಳದ ಹಾವು
Photographs: 
Distribution: 
Found in dry rocky hills South India upto Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Type locality- Anakatti Hills (Tamil Nadu).
Family: 
Colubridae
Characteristics for identification: 

Patternless dorsal body of dark brown color. Presence of thick yellow collar which extends to lower of head also.

Description: 

Average length- 45cm.
Maximum length- 55cm.

Dorsal -
Body slender with shinysubeual and smooth. Dorsal colour chocolate brown without any definable patterns, only irregular and small yellow markings present. In adults some degenerated bands on mid body can be seen.

Ventral -
Belly entirely glossy white without any pattern. Subcaudal scales paired in zig-zag manner.

Head -
Head flattened, depressed and covered with smooth shiny scales; broader than neck. A thick yellow collar present in all life stages whose color extends to upper lip and underside of head too. Eyes entirely black with vertically elliptical pupil.

Tail -
Normal length tail without any pattern; ends with a pointed tip.

Scalation
Head: 
Anterior nasal larger than posterior.; supralabial 9; usually only first supralabial in contact with nasals; 3rd to 5th in contact with eyes; loreal 1, in contact with internasal; temporal 2+2, 2+3 or 3+3; infralabial 11; anterior and posterior genials equal in length.
Dorsal: 
Smooth scales with single apical pit in 17: 17: 15 rows.
Ventral: 
210-224; non-angulate; anal divided.
Sub Caudal: 
65-72; paired. Hemipenis cylindrical; not forked at the tip; lacks spines.
Habitat: 
Choose rocks and cracks for hiding. Lives in rocky hills of moderate elevation. Distributed in mixed deciduous forests adjacent of South India. Habitat includes dry rocky hills and surrounding rocky terrain of South India.
Natural History: 
Yellow-collared Wolf Snake is a nocturnal species which can be seen at daytime also. Activity usually terrestrial and capable in climbing over rough surfaces. Behavior shy, elusive and non-offensive. On provocation first try to escape or make a coil like most of Wolf Snake species. Rarely bites on handling or threatening. Not much is known about its breeding except that this is a oviparous species and young individuals seen during monsoon months.
Diet: 
Feeds on geckos and skinks.
Threats: 
Threats includes loss of habitat which are mostly rocky hills. However it has been documented from open plains scattered with rocks and boulders.
Look Alike
Common Wolf Snake
Authors & Contributors: 
Vivek Sharma
Murali