Banded krait

The banded krait is easily identified by its alternate black and yellow crossbands, its triangular body cross section, and the marked vertebral ridge consisting of enlarged vertebral shields along its body. The head is broad and depressed. The eyes are black. It has arrowhead-like yellow markings on its otherwise black head and has yellow lips, lores, chin, and throat.[4]

The longest banded krait measured was 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) long, but normally the length encountered is 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in).[3]

The snake has an entire anal plate and single subcaudals. The tail is small, about one-tenth the length of the snake.[5]

The scientific name of the genus is derived from the Kannada/Telugu word 'bangara' in Kannada and 'bangarum' in Telugu, meaning "gold", referring to the yellow rings around its body.[4]

The banded krait occurs in the whole of the Indo-Chinese subregion, the Malay peninsula and Indonesian archipelago, and southern China.[3] The species is common in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura of India, Nepal and Bangladesh, but becomes progressively uncommon westwards in India.[4]

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

In India, it has been recorded from Andhra Pradesh,[6] Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,[7] Northeast India, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.[3] It has recently been recorded from Hassan District in Karnataka, Chalkari, Bokaro District, Jharkhand, Trivandrum, Kerala and Amalapadu, Srikakulam District, Andhra Pradesh[8]

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.[3]

Banded kraits are shy, not typically seen, and are mainly nocturnal. When harassed, they will usually hide their heads under their coils, and do not generally attempt to bite,[2] 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.[4]

The venom of the banded krait mainly contains neurotoxins (pre- and postsynaptic neurotoxins) with LD₅₀ values of 2.4 mg/kg[11]—3.6 mg/kg[12][13] SC, 1.289 mg/kg IV and 1.55 mg/kg IP.[12][13] The quantity of venom delivered averages out at 20–114 mg.[12] Engelmann and Obst (1981) list the venom yield at 114 mg (dry weight).[14] 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.[15]

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.[2] Currently, polyvalent antivenoms are available in India and Indonesia.

• Mizo language - chawnglei, tiangsir
• Karbi language - maipam, rui-teron
• Assamese language - xokha (শখা), xongkhosur (শংখচোৰ), gowala (গোৱালা), bandphora
• Bengali - shankhini (শঙ্খিনী), shankhamooti shaanp (শাঁখামুঠি) and rajsap (king snake) in Birbhum District কুসাপা (রাজবংশি ভাষায়)
• Burmese - ငန်းတော်ကြား ngān taw kyā
• Hindi - ahiraaj saamp[5]
• Indonesian - welang
• Kokborok - balingkhung
• Malayalam - manjavarayan (മഞ്ഞവരയൻ)
• Marathi - patteri manyar, पट्टेरी मण्यार

agya manyar, sataranjya

• Odia - rana (ରଣା)[4]
• Tamil - kattu viriyan (கட்டுவிரியன்), yennai viriyan, yettadi viriyan
• Telugu - katla paamu (కట్ల పాము) or bangaru paamu (బంగారు పాము) meaning the golden snake[4]
• Tulu - kadambale
• Thai - ngu sam liam, งูสามเหลี่ยม, meaning the triangular snake[3]
• Vietnamese - rắn cạp nong
• Nepali – नेपाली - गनगलि, गनग्वली, राजा साप वा सर्प gangali, gan gwali and Rajasaap (king of snakes) in Nepal

• 
  Banded krait captured in Binnaguri, North Bengal, India
• 
  Banded krait in Cat Tien National Park

• 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.

1. SPOAR.ORG.IN

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bungarus fasciatus.

• Species Bungarus fasciatus at The Reptile Database

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Bungarus fasciatus
• B. fasciatus at Thailand Snakes