Lycodon ruhstrati

The specific name, ruhstrati, was chosen to honor German-born Ernst Konrad A. Ruhstrat (died 1913), of the Imperial Chinese Customs Service, who collected the type specimens of this species in southern Taiwan. Lycodon ruhstrati is a member of the genus Lycodon, a genus of snakes commonly known as wolf snakes. The genus belongs to the snake family Colubridae. Colubridae is the largest snake family, with member genera and species being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus Lycodon has at times been placed in the genus Oligodon, but this classification is under dispute. In 2013, the genetic sequence of L. ruhsrati was used as part of a study which suggested combining the genera Lycodon and Dinodon. L. ruhstrati currently has two subspecies: Lycodon ruhstrati ruhstrati , the nominate subspecies, first described from Taiwan; and Lycodon ruhstrati abditus , described from Vietnam. ==Description==

The color pattern of L. ruhstrati is highly variable, although it tends to be dark-colored with several light-colored crossbands on its back. The largest specimen found prior to 2008 had a total length (including tail) of . ==Habitat and ecology==

L. ruhstrati is oviparous, or egg-laying, with females laying four eggs in each clutch. as well as upon Diploderma swinhonis. ==Range and distribution==

L. ruhstrati occurs in the Tranninh Plateau of Laos, northern Vietnam, Taiwan, and southern China. It has been found in the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guanxi, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Zhejiang, as well as Hong Kong. The subspecies Lycodon ruhstrati multifasciatus has also been found in Japan's Ryukyu Islands; however, this subspecies was subsequently reclassified as a separate species. L. ruhstrati is classified as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, because it is presumed to have a large population and to be distributed over a large area. It is also not thought to be declining very fast. No steps are currently being taken to specifically conserve this species, although it is thought to be found in a number of protected areas. ==References==