Checking back two centuries: a key criterion to identify the wolfsnake, Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus, 1758), in the Mascarene Islands

The wolfsnake of the genus Lycodon present in the Mascarene Islands has recently been referred to as L. capucinus in the literature, but this identification has never been formally confirmed by any morphological study. The taxonomy of the genus Lycodon is poorly resolved, and recent photographs suggest that this identification may be erroneous. Using a comparative table of the distinguishing characteristics of L. aulicus and L. capucinus, we clarify the identity of 19 historical specimens collected in the Mascarenes during the 19th and 20th centuries based on colouration patterns. We show that the species present in Reunion and Mauritius should be referred to as L. aulicus. We highlight the importance of specimens from natural history collections in resolving taxonomic questions, especially regarding the identity of introduced species.