Lycodon | |
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Lycodon aulicus | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
Genus: | Lycodon Fitzinger, 1826[1] |
Species | |
See text. | |
Synonyms | |
Cercaspis, Coluber, Leptorhytaon, Ophites, Dryocalamus, Sphecodes, Tetragonosoma, Tytleria[2] |
Lycodon is a genus of colubrid snakes, commonly known as wolf snakes.[3] The Neo-Latin name Lycodon is derived from the Greek words λύκος (lykos) meaning wolf and οδόν (odon) meaning tooth,[4] and refers to the fang-like anterior maxillary and mandibular teeth.[2] They are nonvenomous, but many members of this genus strongly resemble the venomous kraits in appearance, an example of Emsleyan mimicry.