Confirmation of Distribution of Twin-spotted Wolf Snake, <italic>Lycodon jara</italic> (Shaw, 1802) (Serpentes, Colubridae) in China, with Detailed Morphological Description

<p indent="0mm"><italic> <?A3B2 tlsb=-.005w?>Lycodon</italic> (<xref rid="CITATION26" xml:base="bibr">Boie, 1826</xref>) is a genus of colubrid snakes widely distributed in south, south-east and east Asia comprising 84 species with 22 reported in China. In this study, we identify a unique <italic>Lycodon</italic> specimen (voucher No. ANU20230057) from Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China. A phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial cytochrome b (<italic>Cyt b</italic>), showed that this specimen formed a monophyletic clade with high nodal supports (BPP=1.00; BS=100) with a specimen of <italic>Lycodon jara</italic>, a colubrid species mainly distributed in the northern and northeastern region of south Asia. Morphological comparisons also showed that this specimen belongs to <italic>L</italic> . <italic>jara</italic>. This discovery confirms the distribution of <italic>L</italic> . <italic>jara</italic> in China and expands the range of this species to the south edge of Gaoligong Mountains, and provides the first detailed morphological description of <italic>L</italic>. <italic>jara</italic> from China thus increasing the number of <italic>Lycodon</italic> species in China to 23. <?A3B2 tlsb?>