Wolf Snakes

Wolf snakes are a common and widespread species across Southeast Asia, yet their ecology is poorly-known and little-studied. In Malaysia, there are several Lycodon species that are known which also occur in neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Borneo and Indonesia. Wolf snakes are named because of their enlarged front teeth, not fangs, that give them a muzzled appearance, simliar to canine features. It also makes the snout somewhat more squarish than other snakes. Typically, there are a small-bodied species with a terrestial disposition but semi-arboreal tendencies. They are also able to adapt very well to disturbed habitats, which is why they are often encountered in agricultural plantations, villages and sometimes in the cities (Often the culprit is Lycodon capucinus, also called the house wolf snake).

Wolf snakes lay small clutches of eggs that hatch into neonates with white or yellow bands depending on the species. This ontogenic colouration usually fades as they go into adulthood, eventually becoming a solid brown or black colour. Hence, the amount of bands is a good way to gauge the age of the snake. However, for those in the field of collecting and studying snakes, utmost care must be taken while identifying juvenile Lycodon species apart from kraits of the Elapidae genus.

This is because juvenile wolf snakes with their broad white bands can be mistaken for highly-venomous krait species, which often possess bold white bands on their body throughout their life span. In Peninsular Malaysia, the banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) and blue krait (Bungarus candidus) can be told apart by their triangular frame, more blunt head and the bands, which have a series of thin and short dark stripes running through some of the scales. The bands are also not as broad as most juvenile wolf snake species and are laid in a more frequent order. All wolf snake species prey on lizards, especially geckos, although they are recorded to hunt frogs as well.