The new species, Lycodon calcarophilus Vogel, Bragin, Poyarkov & Nguyen, 2025 (English name: Limestone Wolf Snake; Vietnamese: Vietnamese Limestone Wolf Snake), is described in the August 2025 issue of the journal Zootaxa.
Lycodon calcarophilus is a small, harmless, nocturnal snake, with a slender body that reaches a maximum length of about 625 mm. The dorsum is black, divided into 19–25 white bands, and the tail has another 10–15 white bands. The belly has a pattern of white and black, but does not have the random dots seen in many other species of the genus. An important morphological feature that distinguishes this species is the cheek scales that meet the eyes, which are not seen in other closely related snakes.
In the process of re-evaluating the classification and distribution of the Lycodon fasciatus group, the research team including MSc. Nguyen Van Tan (Duy Tan University), Dr. Gernot Vogel (Germany), MSc. Andrey Bragin and Associate Professor Dr. Nikolay Poyarkov (Russia) collected many specimens in the Asian region and examined additional snake specimens stored in zoological museums around the world .
During a short survey trip in the limestone mountain area near Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, the team discovered a snake with a morphology similar to Lycodon fasciatus – a common species in northern Vietnam.
However, after conducting detailed analysis of morphology and genetic data from three important gene segments, the results showed that this individual was not a variant of L. fasciatus but in fact a completely new species to science . This discovery contributes to clarifying the diversity and complexity in the taxonomy of the Lycodon group in Southeast Asia.
The specific name calcarophilus (roughly translated as “limestone-loving”) emphasizes the species’ close ecological association with the endemic limestone ecosystems of Central Vietnam. It is found at elevations of 200–250 m in primary limestone forests, with many caves, thick leaf litter, and ancient vegetation. Early observations showed that it hunted lizards near cave mouths at dusk.
The specialization in limestone environments suggests that the ability to form species is strongly influenced by the isolated conditions of this “ecological island”. According to MSc. Nguyen Van Tan, in the genus Lycodon, at least three species have been recorded that only live in limestone environments, showing a remarkable trend of ecological differentiation.
Currently, the species is only known in Phong Nha - Ke Bang, but is likely also distributed in neighboring limestone ranges such as Ke Nuoc Trong ( Quang Binh ), Bac Huong Hoa (Quang Tri) and even Khammouane province (Laos).
However, the habitat here is under pressure from deforestation, tourism development and open grazing. The authors propose to classify this species as Data Deficient (DD) according to IUCN criteria to continue monitoring its conservation status.
"Discovering this species is like opening up another hidden layer of Vietnamese nature, even in a heavily surveyed place like Phong Nha - Ke Bang," Associate Professor Dr. Nikolay A. Poyarkov commented.
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/phat-hien-loai-ran-moi-lycodon-calcarophilus-trong-rung-da-voi-viet-nam-post2149042389.html
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