The white-banded wolf snake

A white-banded wolf snake is seen in Tanglang Mountain, Nanshan District. Photos by Isaac Cohen

The white-banded wolf snake

One of the most ubiquitous snakes that can be found lurking in Shenzhen’s nights is the white-banded wolf snake (Lycodon subcinctus), a non-venomous medium-sized snake about 90 centimeters long with strict nocturnal habits.

细白环蛇是深圳最常见的蛇类之一，是一种体型中等（约90厘米长）、昼伏夜出的无毒蛇。

A white-banded wolf snake is seen in Tanglang Mountain, Nanshan District. 

Also known as the Malayan banded wolf snake, the white-banded wolf snake moves slowly in the dark but quickly bites when it finds prey it can catch, with small lizards being among their favorite dinners.

细白环蛇平时行动迟缓，但一旦有蜥蜴等猎物进入它的视线范围，便会以迅雷不及掩耳之势发动攻击。

A white-banded wolf snake is seen in Tanglang Mountain, Nanshan District. 

This intriguing snake is very similar in appearance to the highly venomous many-banded krait. It has a black body with a pattern of white bands uniformly distributed over its body. However, in the wolf snake, the white bands are slightly less bright and may gradually fade to black. The head is small, the tail is long, the rings are incomplete, and the underbelly is white.

细白环蛇体背黑色，具白色环斑，与剧毒的银环蛇十分相似。只有仔细观察，才能发现它们的环斑颜色更黯淡，有些部位比如尾部的白色鳞片甚至无法相连成环。头部较小，尾细长，腹部白色。

A white-banded wolf snake is seen in Tanglang Mountain, Nanshan District. 

As with many of the snake species in our city, it is crucial to stay away from them and let them continue on their way. These snakes, easily mistaken for highly venomous ones,play an important role in the ecosystem as secondary consumers. They serve both as predators and prey, contributing to maintaining a healthy balance in the intricate dynamics of our urban ecosystems.

细白环蛇虽然无毒，但也不意味着我们可以随便靠近、惊扰它们。这种因贝氏拟态而常被错认为银环蛇的蛇类是本地生态系统中次级捕食者，既捕食其他动物，也被更高一级的捕食者捕食，在维系生态平衡中扮演着重要的角色。

A white-banded wolf snake is seen in Tanglang Mountain, Nanshan District. 

Overall, the white-banded wolf snake is a fascinating species to encounter when you explore the night in Shenzhen. Their unique appearance and behavior make them a valuable part of the city’s biodiversity, and we should strive to appreciate and protect these creatures to maintain the health and diversity of our local environment.

不过，对广大自然爱好者来说，在夜观的时候能发现细白环蛇是一件非常激动人心的事情。这种有着独特外表和行为的蛇类是这座城市里宝贵的居民，我们应该欣赏它们，保护它们，因为保护它们就是保护我们的自然环境和生物多样性。