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Twin-spotted wolf snake facts for kids

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Lycodon jara
AB117 Lycodon jara.JPG
A twin-spotted wolf snake from North Bengal.
Conservation status
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Lycodon
Species:
L. jara
Binomial name
Lycodon jara
(Shaw, 1802)
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Synonyms

Coluber jara Shaw, 1802
Lycodon jara - Schlegel, 1837
Coluber bipunctatus Cantor, 1839
Leptorhytaon jara - Günther, 1858
Lycophidion bipunctatum - Peters, 1863
Lycodon jara - Stoliczka, 1871

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The Lycodon jara, also known as the twin-spotted wolf snake, is a cool type of snake. It belongs to a big group of snakes called colubrids. These snakes are usually not venomous. This particular snake is special because it is endemic to Asia. This means it is only found naturally in Asia and nowhere else in the world!

Where Does This Snake Live?

AB119 Lycodon jara - scales
Dorsal scales of Lycodon jara showing the yellow "twin spots" to which the common name refers

The twin-spotted wolf snake lives in several countries in Asia. You can find it in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. In India, it lives in places like Assam, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, West Bengal, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh.

What Does This Snake Look Like?

The twin-spotted wolf snake has a flat snout and fairly small eyes. Its body scales are smooth. They are arranged in 17 rows along its back.

Colors and Patterns

When preserved in alcohol, these snakes look brown on top. Each scale on their back has two small white dots or short white lines. These "twin spots" are how the snake got its common name! Its lips are white, and it usually has a white band around its neck, like a collar. The underside of the snake is plain white.

Size of the Snake

AB118 Lycodon jara - annotated scale diagram
A diagram showing the scales on a Lycodon jara snake.

This snake is not very long. Its total length is about 35 centimeters (which is about 13 and three-quarter inches). Its tail is about 6 centimeters long (about 2 and three-eighths inches).

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