Lycodryas

Lycodryas is a genus of snakes in the family Pseudoxyrhophiidae. The genus contains nine species, seven of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar, and two to the Comoros Islands.^[2] Its sister taxon is Phisalixella.^[1] All of the species are harmless to humans.

Lycodryas
Lycodryas maculatus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Pseudoxyrhophiidae
Subfamily:	Pseudoxyrhophiinae
Genus:	Lycodryas Günther, 1879
Type species
Lycodryas sanctijohannis Günther, 1879
Species
9 recognized species, see text
Synonyms[1]
Stenophis Boulenger, 1896

Ecology

Lycodryas are arboreal snakes that are believed to be active hunters. However, their ecology is generally poorly known.^[1]

Lycodryas citrinus

Female Lycodryas cococola

Description

Lycodryas are markedly elongated, slender-bodied snakes with often striking coloration. The head is distinct. They typically have 8 (range: 7–9) upper labials and 6–10 lower labials, 1 loreal scale, 17–19 rows of dorsal scales at mid-body and 13 or 15 rows of dorsal scales at the last ventral, 185–284 ventral scales, anal plate that is usually divided, and 70–130 subcaudal scales. The contracted pupil is a small vertical ellipse.^[1]

Species

The following nine species are recognized as being valid.^[2]

• Lycodryas citrinus (Domergue, 1995)
• Lycodryas cococola Hawlitschek, Nagy & Glaw, 2012
• Lycodryas gaimardii (Schlegel, 1837)
• Lycodryas granuliceps (Boettger, 1877)
• Lycodryas guentheri (Boulenger, 1896)
• Lycodryas inopinae (Domergue, 1995)
• Lycodryas inornatus (Boulenger, 1896)
• Lycodryas maculatus (Günther, 1858) – spotted tree snake
• Lycodryas pseudogranuliceps (Domergue, 1995)

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Lycodryas.