Family : ELAPIDAE
Species : Bungarus fasciatus
Maximum Size : 2.25 metres

Bungarus fasciatus (Banded Krait) is a wide-ranging, highly venomous elapid which on the Asian mainland occurs in Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, northeastern India, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Its range extends to the larger islands of western Indonesia including Sumatra, Java, Borneo (including Brunei and eastern Malaysia) and Bali.

With such a broad distribution, it seems possible that more than one species is represented (Biakzuala et al, 2023). 

Its body is triangular in cross-section. The head is small and of the same width as the neck, and the eyes are small. The dorsum is white, pale yellow or brownish with thick black crossbars of roughly equal width to the intervening pale portions of the dorsum. The venter is pale.

This dangerous snake occurs in a range of lowland habitats including woodlands, swamps and back mangrove. It has also been recorded in montane forest up to 2500 metres elevation (Das, 2010). 

Its diet comprises a variety of other vertebrates including rodents, other snakes, lizards, frogs, fishes and reptile eggs (Das, 2010).

Bungarus fasciatus is typically nocturnal in habits; caution should be taken during nocturnal rambles in areas where the species is likely to occur. By day it is less likely to react to being disturbed. The powerful neurotoxic venom of this snake can kill.

Figs 1 to 3 : Adult example active at night amongst secondary forest, near back mangrove habitat, on the island of Pulau Ubin, Singapore.


References :

Biakzuala, L., Lalremsanga, H. T., Santra, V., Dhara, A., Ahmed, M. T., Mallick, Z. B., ... & Malhotra, A. (2023). Molecular phylogeny reveals distinct evolutionary lineages of the banded krait, Bungarus fasciatus (Squamata, Elapidae) in Asia. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 2061.

Das, I., 2010. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of South-east Asia. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.