Ajay Kumar at 21:25, 30 August 2023

2023-08-30T21:25:51Z

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{{Short description|Species of Asian elapid snake}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Banded krait
| image = The Banded Krait.jpg
| image_caption = Banded krait
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Stuart, B. |author2=Nguyen, T.Q. |author3=Thy, N. |author4=Vogel, G. |author5=Wogan, G. |author6=Srinivasulu, C. |author7=Srinivasulu, B. |author8=Das, A. |author9=Thakur, S. |author10=Mohapatra, P. |date=2013 |title=''Bungarus fasciatus'' |volume=2013 |page=e.T192063A2034956 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T192063A2034956.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Bungarus
| species = fasciatus
| authority = ([[Johann Gottlob Schneider|Schneider]], 1801)
| synonyms = * ''Pseudoboa fasciata'' [[Johann Gottlob Schneider|Schneider]], 1801
* ''Boa fasciata'' - [[George Shaw (biologist)|Shaw]], 1802
* ''Bungarus annularis'' - [[François Marie Daudin|Daudin]], 1803
}}

The '''banded krait''' ('''''Bungarus fasciatus''''') is a [[species]] of [[elapid]] snake found on the [[Indian Subcontinent]], in Southeast Asia, and in southern China.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" /><ref name=RDB/><ref name="ct">{{cite web|url=http://toxinology.com/fusebox.cfm?fuseaction=main.snakes.display&id=SN0018|title=Clinical Toxinology-''Bungarus fasciatus''|access-date=2011-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070133/http://toxinology.com/fusebox.cfm?fuseaction=main.snakes.display&id=sn0018|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is the largest species of [[Bungarus|krait]], with a maximum length up to {{convert|2.7|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Smith_pg_411_to_413"/>

Although the banded krait is venomous and its bite may be deadly to humans, it is shy, primarily nocturnal, and not particularly aggressive, so its overall risk to humans is low.

== Description ==
The banded krait is easily identified by its alternate black and yellow crossbands all of which encircle the body. The head is broad and depressed and it is not distinct from the neck. The eyes are black. It has arrowhead-like yellow markings on its otherwise black head and has yellow lips, lores, chin, and throat.<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/> The tail is relatively small, about one-tenth the length of the snake.

The longest banded krait measured was {{convert|2.25|m|abbr=on}} long, but normally the length encountered is {{convert|1.8|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Smith_pg_411_to_413"/>

'''Scalation''': 15 dorsal scale rows at midbody; sub-caudal scutes undivided throughout, 23–39; middorsal row of scales (vertebrals) hexagonal & strongly enlarged, as broad as or broader than long; anal plate undivided. tail end blunt; distinct vertebral ridge down the back formed by the neural processes of the vertebrae; ventrals 200–234.<ref name="Boulenger_pg_388">Boulenger, George A., (1890), The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma, Reptilia and Batrachia. page 388.</ref>

''Bungarum Pamah'' was the name recorded by [[Patrick Russell (herpetologist)|Patrick Russell]] of a specimen from "Mansoor Cottah", he also received specimens from Bengal.<ref>{{cite book|title=An account of Indian serpents, collected on the coast of Coromandel : containing descriptions and drawings of each species, together with experiments and remarks on their several poisons|author=Russell, Patrick| year=1796 |pages=3|url=https://archive.org/details/accountindianse1russ/page/3/mode/1up }}</ref> The scientific name of the genus is derived from 'bangarum' in Telugu (also in Kannada), meaning "gold", referring to the yellow rings around its body.<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/>

==Distribution and habitat==
The banded krait occurs in the whole of the Indo-Chinese subregion, the [[Malay peninsula]] and [[Indonesian archipelago]], and southern [[China]].<ref name="Smith_pg_411_to_413">Smith, Malcolm A. Fauna of British India...Vol III - Serpentes, pages 411 to 413</ref> The species is common in the [[States and union territories of India|states]] of [[West Bengal]], [[Odisha]], [[Mizoram]], [[Assam]], [[Manipur]] and [[Tripura]] of [[India]], [[Nepal]] and [[Bangladesh]], but becomes progressively uncommon westwards in India.<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135">Daniels, J.C. (2002), Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians, pp. 134-135.</ref>

It has been recorded eastwards from central India through Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China (including Hainan and Hong Kong), Malaysia and the main Indonesian islands of [[Borneo]] ([[Java (island)|Java]] and [[Sumatra]]), as well as Singapore.

In India, it has been recorded from [[Andhra Pradesh]],<ref>{{cite journal|last=Srinivasulu|first=C|author2=D. Venkateshwarlu|author3=M. Seetharamaraju|date=26 June 2009|title=Rediscovery of the Banded Krait ''Bungarus fasciatus'' (Schneider 1801) (Serpentes: Elapidae) from Warangal District, Andhra Pradesh, India|journal=Journal of Threatened Taxa|volume=1|issue=6|pages=353–354|doi=10.11609/jott.o1986.353-4|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[Bihar]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Maharashtra]],<ref>{{cite book
|last=Khaire
|first=NeelimKumar
|title=Snakes of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
|orig-year=2006
|year=2008
|publisher=Indian Herpetological Society
|location=Pune
|page=40
}}
</ref> Northeast India, [[Odisha]], [[Tamil Nadu]], and [[West Bengal]].<ref name="Smith_pg_411_to_413"/> It has recently been recorded from [[Hassan District]] in [[Karnataka]], Chalkari, Bokaro District, Jharkhand, Trivandrum, Kerala and Amalapadu, Srikakulam District, Andhra Pradesh<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/240673/slithering-wonder-black-yellow.html|title=Slithering wonder in black and yellow|date=9 April 2012}}</ref>

Banded kraits may be seen in a variety of habitats, ranging from forests to agricultural lands. They inhabit [[termite]] mounds and [[rodent]] holes close to water, and often live near human settlement, especially villages, because of their supply of rodents and water. They prefer the open plains of the countryside. The banded krait has been found in Myanmar up to an altitude of 5000 feet.<ref name="Smith_pg_411_to_413"/>

==Behaviour==
Banded kraits are shy, not typically seen, and are mainly [[nocturnal animal|nocturnal]]. When harassed, they will usually hide their heads under their coils, and do not generally attempt to bite,<ref name="ct"/> though at night they are much more active and widely considered to be more dangerous then.

During the day, they lie up in grass, pits, or drains. The snakes are lethargic and sluggish even under provocation. They are most commonly seen in the rains.<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/>

===Food===
The banded krait feeds mainly on other snakes, but is also known to eat fish, frogs, skinks, and snake eggs. Among the snakes taken by banded kraits are:<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/>
* Sunbeam snake ''[[Xenopeltis unicolor]]''
* Rainbow water snake ''[[Enhydris enhydris]]''<ref name="Knierim, Tyler 2017">Knierim, Tyler., Barnes, Curt H., Hodges, Cameron., (2017), Natural History Note: Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) diet. Herpetological Review 48(1):204 · March 2017</ref>
* Red-tailed pipe snake ''[[Cylindrophis ruffus]]''<ref name="Knierim, Tyler 2017"/>
* Chequered keelback ''[[Fowlea piscator]]''
* Buff-striped keelback ''[[Amphiesma stolatum]]''
* Rat snake or ''dhaman'' ''[[Ptyas mucosus]]''
* Indo-Chinese rat snake ''[[Ptyas korros]]''
* Cat snake ''[[Boiga trigonata]]''.
* [[Russell's viper]] (Daboia russelii)
* Common krait ([[Bungarus caeruleus]])

The prey is swallowed head first, after it has been rendered inactive by the venom.<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/>

===Breeding habits===
Little is known of its breeding habits. In Myanmar, a female has been dug out while incubating a clutch of eight eggs, four of which hatched in May. Young have been recorded to measure 298 to 311 mm on hatching. The snake is believed to become adult in the third year of its life, at an approximate length of 914 mm.<ref name="Evans_Daniel">Evans, G.H. (1906):Breeding of the banded krait (''Bungarus fasciatus'') in Burma. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 16:519-520 as mentioned in Daniels, J.C. (2002), '''Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians''' References, ser no 28, pg 219.</ref>

==Venom==
The [[venom (poison)|venom]] of the banded krait mainly contains [[neurotoxin]]s (pre- and post[[Synapse|synaptic]] [[neurotoxin]]s) with {{LD50}} values of 2.4 mg/kg<ref name="sn">{{cite book | title = Snake of medical importance: Banded krait|author = Venom and toxin research group |year = 1990 | location= Singapore|isbn=9971-62-217-3}}</ref>–3.6 mg/kg<ref name="ld50"/><ref name="LD50"/> [[Subcutis|SC]], 1.289 mg/kg [[Intravenous therapy|IV]] and 1.55 mg/kg [[Peritoneum#Layers|IP]].<ref name="ld50">{{cite web|title=LD50 |url=http://www.seanthomas.net/oldsite/ld50tot.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201062634/http://www.seanthomas.net/oldsite/ld50tot.html |archive-date=2012-02-01 }}</ref><ref name="LD50">{{cite web|url=http://www.kingsnake.com/toxinology/LD50/LD50men.html|title=LD50 menu}}</ref> The quantity of venom delivered averages out at 20–114 mg.<ref name="ld50"/> Engelmann and Obst (1981) list the venom yield at 114 mg (dry weight).<ref name=Engelmann>{{cite book|last=Engelmann|first=Wolf-Eberhard|title=Snakes: Biology, Behavior, and Relationship to Man|year=1981|publisher=Leipzig Publishing; English version published by Exeter Books (1982)|location=Leipzig; English version NY, USA|isbn=0-89673-110-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/snakesbiologybeh0000enge/page/51 51]|url=https://archive.org/details/snakesbiologybeh0000enge/page/51}}</ref> The major clinical effects caused by the venom of this species include [[vomiting]], [[abdominal pain]], [[diarrhoea]], and [[dizziness]]. Severe envenomation can lead to [[respiratory failure]] and death may occur due to [[suffocation]].<ref name="Davidson">{{cite web|last=Davidson |first=Terence |title=IMMEDIATE First aid for bites by Kraits |url=http://drdavidson.ucsd.edu/Portals/0/snake/Bungarus.htm |work=Snakebites First Aid |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=25 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402114827/http://drdavidson.ucsd.edu/Portals/0/snake/Bungarus.htm |archive-date=2 April 2012 }}</ref> Banded krait venom can damage the kidneys if injected.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sarkar|first1=Naren|last2=Basu|first2=Souvik|last3=Chandra|first3=Preeti|last4=Chowdhuri|first4=Soumeek|last5=Mukhopadhyay|first5=Partha Pratim|date=2018-01-29|title=Nephrotoxicity in krait bite: a rare case series of three fatalities in consecutive bites by a single snake|journal=Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences|volume=8|issue=1|pages=12|doi=10.1186/s41935-018-0040-3|issn=2090-5939|doi-access=free}}</ref>

A clinical toxicology study gives an untreated mortality rate of 1–10%, which may be because contact with humans is rare and when bites do occur, the rate of envenomation when biting defensively is thought to be very low.<ref name="ct"/> Currently, polyvalent [[antivenom]]s are available in India and Indonesia.

==Common names==
* [[Manipuri language]] - {{transl|man|linkhak}}
* [[Mizo language]] - {{transl|lus|chawnglei}}, {{transl|lus|tiangsir}}
* [[Karbi language]] - {{transl|mjw|maipam}}, {{transl|mjw|rui-teron}}
* [[Assamese language]] - {{transl|ass|xokha}} (শখা), {{transl|ass|xongkhosur}} (শংখচোৰ), {{transl|ass|gowala}} (গোৱালা), {{transl|ass|bandphora}}
* [[Bengali language|Bengali]] - {{transl|bn|shankhini}} (শঙ্খিনী), {{transl|bn|shankhamooti shaanp}} (শাঁখামুঠি) and {{transl|bn|rajsap}} (king snake) in Birbhum District কুসাপা (রাজবংশি ভাষায়)
* [[Burmese language|Burmese]] - ငန်းတော်ကျား {{transl|my|ngān taw kyā}}
* [[Hindi]] - {{transl|hi|ahiraaj saamp}}<ref name="Boulenger_pg_388"/>
* [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] - {{transl|id|welang}}
* [[Malayalam]] - {{transl|ml|manjavarayan}} (മഞ്ഞവരയൻ)
* [[Marathi language|Marathi]] - {{transl|mr|patteri manyar}}, पट्टेरी मण्यार {{transl|mr|agya manyar}}, {{transl|mr|sataranjya}}
* [[Odia language|Odia]] - {{transl|ory|rana}} (ରଣା)<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/>
* [[Tamil language|Tamil]] - {{transl|ta|kattu viriyan}} (கட்டுவிரியன்), ''yennai viriyan, yettadi viriyan''
* [[Telugu language|Telugu]] - {{transl|te|katla paamu}} (కట్ల పాము) or ''bangaru paamu'' (బంగారు పాము) meaning the golden snake<ref name="Daniels_pg134_135"/>
* [[Tulu language|Tulu]] - {{transl|tcy|kadambale}}
* [[Thai language|Thai]] - {{transl|th|ngu sam liam}}, งูสามเหลี่ยม, meaning the triangular snake<ref name="Smith_pg_411_to_413"/>
* [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] - {{transl|vi|rắn cạp nong}}
* [[Nepali language|Nepali]] – [[Nepali language|नेपाली]] - गनगलि, गनग्वली, राजा साप वा सर्प {{transl|ne|gangali}}, {{transl|ne|gan gwali}} and {{transl|ne|Rajasaap}} (king of snakes) in Nepal
*Maithili- मैथिली- गन गुआर

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:AB_056_Banded_Krait.JPG|Banded krait captured in [[Binnaguri]], North Bengal, India
File:Banded krait @ Cat Tien National Park.jpg|Banded krait in [[Cat Tien National Park]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=RDB>{{NRDB species |genus=Bungarus |species=fasciatus |access-date=11 September 2021}}</ref>
}}
* Boulenger, George A. (1890), The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma, Reptilia and Batrachia. Taylor and Francis, London.
* Daniels, J.C. (2002), Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. BNHS. Oxford University Press. Mumbai.
* Knierim, Tyler., Barnes, Curt H., Hodges, Cameron (2017), Natural History Note: Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) diet. Herpetological Review 48(1):204 · March 2017
* Smith, Malcolm A. (1943), The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region, Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol I - Loricata and Testudines, Vol II-Sauria, Vol III-Serpentes. Taylor and Francis, London.
* Whitaker, Romulus (2002), Common Indian Snakes: A Field Guide. Macmillan India Limited, {{ISBN|0-333-90198-3}}.

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [http://www.thailandsnakes.com/venomous/banded-krait-venomous-deadly/ B. fasciatus at Thailand Snakes]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q40581}}

[[Category:Bungarus]]
[[Category:Snakes of Asia]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Brunei]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Cambodia]]
[[Category:Snakes of China]]
[[Category:Reptiles of India]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Laos]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Myanmar]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Singapore]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Thailand]]
[[Category:Snakes of Vietnam]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1801]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider]]
[[Category:Reptiles of Borneo]]

Banded krait - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 21:25, 30 August 2023