Lycodon capucinus, H. Boie, 1826

Leviton, Alan E., Siler, Cameron D., Weinell, Jeffrey L. & Brown, Rafe M., 2018, Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (14), pp. 399-568 : 437-438

Lycodon capucinus (H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827)

Common Asian Wolf Snake

Lycodon capucinus H. Boie, 1826b:238 (nomen nudum); H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827:551.

Lycodon tessellatus Jan, 1863b:96 (type locality: “ Manila ”. Luzon Id., Philippines; holotype: NMW 21708).— Müller, 1888:288.— Leviton, 1965c:130.— Ota and Ross, 1994:170 et seq.— Lanza, 1999:89, 98.— Ota, 2000:301, figs. 1a–c.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:397.

Ophites tessellatus, Taylor, 1922a:124 .

Lycodon aulicus capucina, Boettger, 1898:37 .

Ophites aulicus, Taylor, 1922a:120 , figs. 11a–b.

Lycodon aulicus capucinus, Leviton, 1965c:131 .— Brown, Ferner, Sison, Gonzales, and Kennedy, 1996:13.— Ferner, Brown, Sison, and Kennedy, 2001:53 [20], fig. 49.

Lycodon aulicus (part), Lanza, 1999:94–95, 98.— Taylor, 1922d:137.

Lycodon capucinus, Gaulke and Altenbach, 1994:63 .— Gaulke, 2011:288–289, figs 194–195.— McLeod, Siler, Diesmos, Diesmos, Garcia, Arkonceo, Balaquit, Uy, Villaseran, Yarra, and Brown, 2011:188.— Siler, Welton, Siler, Brown, Bucol, Diesmos, and Brown, 2011:190.— Brown, Oliveros, Siler, Fernandez, Welton, Buenavente. Diesmos, and Diesmos, 2012:483.— Devan-Song and Brown, 2012:13.— Siler, Swab, Oliveros, Diesmos, Averia, Alcala, and Brown, 2012:456.— Brown, Siler, Oliveros, Welton, Rock, Swab, Van Weerd, van Beijnen, Jose, Rodriguez, Jose, and Diesmos, 2013:81, fig. 88.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:392.— Bauer, 2015:54.— Sanguila, Cobb, Siler, Diesmos Alcala, and Brown, 2016:94, fig. 68.— Supsup, Puna, Asis, Redoblado, Panaguinit, Guinto, Rico, Diesmos, Brown, and Mallari, 2016:169.

Lycodon aulicus / capucinus, Siler, Oliveros, Santanen, and Brown, 2013:268 , 270–271, fig. 3.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Java, Indonesia (original description based on pl. 37 in Russell, 1802); pl. 37 in Russell designated as Lectotype by Wallach, Williams, and Boundy (2014:392) (see also comments by Bauer [2015:54]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION ( Map 21C [p. 132]).— Bantayan, Bohol, Carabao, Cebu, Camiguin Sur, Cuyo, Dinagat, Leyte, Luzon (Prov.: Aurora, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Vizcaya, Quezon, Zambales), Masbate, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, Panay, Romblon, Samar, Semirara, Tablas.

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Widely distributed throughout southeasern Asia (see Lanza [1999:95] and Wallach et al. [2014:392] for details).

REMARKS.— See Leviton (1965c:131) for an extensive synonymy for Philippine records.

Lycodon capucinus is a problematic species, often considered as a synonym of Lycodon aulicus differing only in the highly variable aspects of coloration (see discussion in Lanza [1999:94]). Based on aspects of its distribution in the Philippines, Leviton (1965c:134–135) suggested that its nomen superior, L. aulicus , was an introduced species. See also Siler, Oliveros, Santanen, and Brown (2013) for preliminary discussion of the lack of genetic diversity within the aulicus / capucinus species group.

Lycodon tessellatus , which, with a degree of hesitation we refer to the synonymy of L. capucinus , was formerly treated as a distinct, if somewhat suspect species, known only from the type specimen from Manila, and its placement has been the subject of considerable confusion since its description by Jan in 1863. Most recently, Ota (2000:299–304) reexamined the type specimen and provided new data that led him to suggest that “It is thus probable that L. tessellatus is most closely related to L. aulicus [ L. capucinus in the Philippines]. However, [other characters notwithstanding] it differs in having three series of prominent alternating black spots on the dorsum, at least in the anterior part of the body.... Detailed character analysis and molecular studies of additional specimens are necessary to clarify the relationships of this enigmatic species.” ( Ota [2000:302]). We concur.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.