Barred Wolf Snake
Lycodon striatus
A small, sharp-toothed colubrid with narrow crossbands, frequently confused with kraits.
- Adult length
- 0.3-0.5 m (1-1.6 ft)
- Range
- South and Southwest Asia
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Overview
The Barred Wolf Snake is a small colubrid found across South and Southwest Asia, notable for its narrow, prominent crossbanding and enlarged front teeth, which give the genus its wolf-related common name.
It is frequently mistaken for the Common Krait due to superficial pattern similarity.
How to identify it
- Dark brown to blackish body with narrow, well-defined white or cream crossbands
- Smooth, glossy scales
- Head slightly distinct from neck with enlarged front teeth
- Round pupils
- Adults typically 0.3-0.5 m in length
- Differs from the Common Krait by its smaller size, glossy smooth scales, and lack of a distinct vertebral ridge
Habitat & range
Found in dry scrub, rocky areas, and agricultural land at low elevations across India, Pakistan, Iran, and neighboring countries, often near human habitation.
Behavior, diet & reproduction
Nocturnal and terrestrial, hunting small lizards, especially geckos, and occasionally other small snakes. It is oviparous, laying small clutches of a few eggs.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell it apart from a krait?
It is smaller, has glossy smooth scales, and lacks the enlarged vertebral scale row seen in kraits.
What does it eat?
Mainly small lizards, especially geckos.
Where is it found?
Across dry scrub and rocky habitats of South and Southwest Asia.
Barred Wolf Snake guides
In-depth guides for identifying and understanding Barred Wolf Snake.
