Lycodon orientalis

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Serpentes
Infraordo: Caenophidia
Superfamilia: Colubroidea

Familia: Colubridae
Subfamilia: Colubrinae
Genus: Lycodon
Species: Lycodon orientalis
Name

Lycodon orientalis (Hilgendorf, 1880)

Holotype: ZMB 9419, collected by F. Hilgendorf in May 1874.
Type locality: “Tokio [=Tokyo]”.

Combinations

Ophites orientalis Hilgendorf, 1880: 115 [original combination]
Dinodon orientale — Stejneger, 1907: 372 [subsequent combination]
Lycodon orientalis — Guo, Zhang, Liu, Li, Pyron, Jiang & Burbrink, 2013: 148 [subsequent combination, by implication]

Synonyms

Ophites japonicus Günther, 1880: 462 [synonymised by Stejneger (1907: 373)]
Syntypes (2): BMNH, both ♀, obtained by C. Maries, date unknown.
Type locality: “near Nikko in Central Japan”.

Native distribution areas

Japan: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and their satellite islands.
Russia: Kunashir Island (presence uncertain).

References
Primary references

Hilgendorf, F., 1880. Bemerkungen über die von ihm in Japan gesammelten Schlangen nebst Beschreibungen zweier neuer Schlangenarten. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1880(8): 111–121. BHL Reference page.
Günther, A. 1880. Description of Ophites japonicus, a new snake from Japan. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Series 5 6(31-36): 462. BHL Reference page.
Stejneger, L.H. 1907. Herpetology of Japan and adjacent territory. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 58: xx + 1–577, 35 pls. BHL Reference page.
Guo, P., Zhang, L., Liu, Q., Li, C., Pyron, R.A., Jiang, K. & Burbrink, F.T. 2013. Lycodon and Dinodon: one genus or two? Evidence from molecular phylogenetics and morphological comparisons. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 68(1): 144–149. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.03.008 Paywall Reference page.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2022. Lycodon orientalis. The Reptile Database. Accessed on 4 August 2020.
Kidera, N. & Ota, H. 2017. IUCN: Lycodon orientalis (Least Concern). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T48889843A48889862. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T48889843A48889862.en

Vernacular names
English: Oriental Odd-tooth Snake
日本語: シロマダラ
русский: Восточный динодон

The Oriental odd-tooth snake (Lycodon orientalis), sometimes called the Japanese odd-tooth snake, is a species endemic to Japan, belonging to the family Colubridae. It is found in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, the Goto Islands, Iki Island, Izu Ōshima, the Oki Islands, Sado Island, Tanegashima, and Yakushima. It has also been reported in Shiashkotan, one of the Kuril Islands.[1]

The snake was first described in 1880 by both Hilgendorf[2] and Günther[3] However, according to Stejneger[4] the description by Hilgendorf was published before that of Günther.
Description and habitat

The full-length snake is about 30–70 cm and has black stripes with a lighter coloured underside. They live in the forest, mainly in the forest floor and predate other snakes, frogs and lizards, such as Achalinus spinalis, the Japanese common toad (Bufo japonicus), Takydromus tachydromoides, and Plestiodon japonicus.
References

* Reptarium Reptile Database : Dinodon orientale (Hilgendorf, 1880) accessed 27 August 2012
Hilgendorf, 1880. Bemerkungen über die von ihm in Japan gesammelten Schlangen nebst Beschreibungen zweier neuer Schlangenarten. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin, 1880, n. 8, p.111-121 (original text).
Günther, 1880 : Description of Ophites japonicus, a new snake from Japan. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 5, vol. 6, p. 462 (original text).
Stejneger, 1907 : Herpetology of Japan and adjacent territory. Bulletin - United States National Museum, vol. 58, p. 373 (original text).