Predation on Zaw's Wolf Snake (Lycodon zawi) by a Malaysian Cherry Red Centipede (Scolopendra dehaani)

Abstract

Z aw's Wolfsnake (Lycodon zawi) has been recorded from the northeastern states of India (Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura), Myanmar, and Bangladesh (Uetz et al. 2022). These snakes have a dark brown dorsum with white transverse bands, a cream-colored venter, and 17 dorsal scale rows at midbody (Slowinski et al. 2001). The species is found in low-to mid-elevation moist tropical evergreen to semievergreen forests at elevations lower than 500 m in India and Myamar (Slowinski et al. 2001).Very little is known about the prey and predators of the species. Slowinski et al. ( 2001) mentioned feeding on skinks (likely Sphenomorphus maculatus) and geckos(Hemidactylus frenatus and H. garnotii) in captivity. However, no report documents predation on L. zawi.Herein we report predation on L. zawi by an invertebrate. At 2210 h on 23 June 2022, we encountered a Malaysian Cherry Red Centipede (Scolopendra dehaani) about 200 mm in length preying on a L. zawi about 350 mm in length in a residential area of Narengi in Guwahati, Assam, India (26.1764 N, 91.8340 E). By 2345 h, the centipede escaped after devouring much of the snake's body (Fig. 1).Centipedes are known to prey on insects, amphibians, reptiles, small birds, bats, and rodents (e.g., Vazifdar et al. 2021). In particular, species of Scolopendra are ferocious predators that use a neurotoxic venom and strong jaws to immobilize and kill their prey (Hodge and Goodyear 2021). Vazifdar et al. ( 2021) recorded a S. dehaani preying on an Andaman Wolfsnake (Lycodon hypsirhinoides) from Havelock Island, Andaman Islands, India. To our knowledge, this is the first record of S. dehaani preying on L. zawi and the second documented record of S. dehaani preying on a species of Lycodon.