JCM Natural History Photography, Bungarus


\|Home\|Amphibians\| Reptiles\| Environments\| Publications\| Licensing\| The Log\| Links\| Site Map\| Books\| Privacy Policy\| Awards\|
Squamata, Serpentes: Elapidae Genus Bungarus, The Kraits
Kraits are placed in the genus Bungarus they inhabit India, Indochina and Malaysia, southern China, and Indonesia. The dorsal scales are highly polished, and the vertebral row is enlarged. The iris of the eye is not colored and as such the pupil cannot be detected and the eye appears to be a solid black bead. (Wolf Snakes of the genus Lycodon often mimic kraits, have this same characteristic). Kraits tend to be crepuscular or nocturnal. They feed mostly on other snakes, but will take a variety of other vertebrates as prey. They are docile and rarely bite when being handled during the day, but they have extremely toxic venom and people do die from their bites. Most krait bites occur at night and many people who are bitten, are bitten while they sleep. It seems likely that the kraits forage near and in houses and people sleeping on the floor may move when the snake crawls over them or near them, that movement stimulates the snake to bite. Most species tend to avoid forests, using mostly open habitats usually below 1500 m. Currently 16 species are recognized.
	Malayan Krait, *Bungarus candidus* (Linnaeus, 1758). Photographed in Thailand. Laboratory animals are shown in the first three photos. The 4th and 5th photos show a specimen taken from a fishermen's gill net in Nakon Ratchisima Province. Note nylon filament around head. This snake drowned in the net. Note the enlarged row of vertebral scales, a characteristic of the genus *Bungarus. The last photo shows the habitat for Bungarus candidus* on the south edge of the Khorat Basin in central Thailand. The snake taken from the gill net came from this pond. The Malayan Krait, sometimes called the blue krait, reaches 1.44 m in maximum adult length. This is a forest and forest edge species. It ranges from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, and Vietnam southward into Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Bali, ?Sulawesi). The pattern on this krait is shared by at least two species of Wolf Snakes (*Lycodon*), and the black and white banding pattern is aposematic (a warning pattern, so that predators will learn to avoid the snake).





	*Ceylon Krait, Bungarus ceylonicus* Gunther, 1864. Photographed in Sri Lanka, a captive specimen. Maximum adult length about 1 m. Endemic to the low hills of Sri Lanka.**
	The Banded Krait, Bungarus fasciatus (Schneider, 1801). Photograph of a laboratory animal in Thailand. Maximum adult size is about 2.1 m. In cross section the body has a unique triangular shape. A widespread species, from northeast India eastward to southern China and south to Singapore. It uses grassland and forests. Females lay 4-14 eggs. This common snake is often used by snake charmers and in snake shows because of its gentile nature during the day time, but its venom is quite toxic.

	Red Headed Krait, Bungarus flaviceps Reinhardt, 1843. Photograph of a laboratory animal in Thailand. An uncommon krait ranging from southern Thailand and southern Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia southward into Indonesia (Bangka, Sumatra, Java, Billiton, Borneo). Maximum adult size about 1.9 m. Another elapid, the Long Gland Coral Snake, Calliophis bivirgata has a similar distribution and color pattern to this krait.

Return to Elapidae-Cobras, Coral Snakes, Kraits, Etc.


\|Home\|Amphibians\| Reptiles\| Environments\| Publications\| Licensing\| The Log\| Links\| Site Map\| Books\| Privacy Policy\| Awards\|
All text and photographs copyright © John C. Murphy. All rights reserved worldwide. The content of this site is made available for purposes of researching images offered for license by John C. Murphy. No image is to be copied, duplicated, modified or redistributed in whole or part without the prior written permission of JCM Natural History Photography. Email: jcm@jcmnaturalhistory.com
Top