''Lycophidion'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of nonvenomous lamprophiid

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

s commonly referred to as the wolf snakes. Lycophidion capense1

there are 23 recognized

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

in the genus.

Description and behavior

Wolf snakes are small snakes which forage at night for sleeping lizards. They have flat heads and large recurved teeth that are assumed to aid them in their extraction of lizards from their lairs.

Reproduction

All species in the genus ''Lycophidion'' are

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

and lay between 3 and 10 eggs.

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid. *'' Lycophidion acutirostre'' *'' Lycophidion albomaculatum'' *'' Lycophidion capense'' *'' Lycophidion chirioi'' *'' Lycophidion depressirostre'' *''

Lycophidion helmichi ''Lycophidion'' is a genus of nonvenomous lamprophiid snakes commonly referred to as the wolf snakes. there are 23 recognized species in the genus. Description and behavior Wolf snakes are small snakes which forage at night for sleeping lizard ...

'' *'' Lycophidion irroratum'' *'' Lycophidion jacksoni'' — western Jackson's wolf snake *'' Lycophidion laterale'' *'' Lycophidion meleagre'' *'' Lycophidion multimaculatum'' *'' Lycophidion namibianum'' *''

Lycophidion nanum ''Lycophidion'' is a genus of nonvenomous lamprophiid snakes commonly referred to as the wolf snakes. there are 23 recognized species in the genus. Description and behavior Wolf snakes are small snakes which forage at night for sleeping lizard ...

'' *''

Lycophidion nigromaculatum ''Lycophidion'' is a genus of nonvenomous lamprophiid snakes commonly referred to as the wolf snakes. there are 23 recognized species in the genus. Description and behavior Wolf snakes are small snakes which forage at night for sleeping lizard ...

'' *'' Lycophidion ornatum'' *'' Lycophidion pembanum'' *'' Lycophidion pygmaeum'' *'' Lycophidion semiannule'' *'' Lycophidion semicinctum'' *'' Lycophidion taylori'' *'' Lycophidion tchadensis'' — Chad wolf snake *'' Lycophidion uzungwense'' *''

Lycophidion variegatum ''Lycophidion variegatum'', also known as the variegated wolf snake, is a species of small nocturnal snake in the family Lamprophiidae. The species actively hunts lizards in small crevices, and is endemic to southern Africa Africa is t ...

'' ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Lycophidion''.

Description and behavior

Reproduction

Species

References

Further reading