common wolf snake

Lycodon capucinus

Description:

The common wolf snake is a species of nonvenomous snake which is widespread in the Indo-Australian Archipelago although it is an invasive here in New Guinea. It is well established in the town (Sentani, Papua, Indonesia) I live in (pers. obs.).

Habitat:

Entered my house in a semi-urban neighborhood of houses, gardens and a patch of disturbed remnant forest. It is often found in buildings.

Notes:

We were paid a visit tonight by this feisty and very aggressive wolf snake inside the house. Besides biting (or trying to -- it had a very small mouth; see the last 3 photos), it also gave us a bit of musk to contend with. By the end of the photo shoot it had calmed considerably.

1 Species ID Suggestions

Gopal murali 11 years ago

common house snake

lycodon capunicus Common House Snake - Lycodon capucinus

2 Comments

Gopal murali 11 years ago

@ S Frazier you are welcome sir :)

Scott Frazier 11 years ago

Thanks Gopal, you are probably right. I am changing from Lycodon aulicus. Many of the images I've seen between the two look similar...and since it is an invasive here, the range of L. capucinus presents more possibilities...