Bungarus

Common Krait is an infamous venomous snake capable for delivering neurotoxic bite during night time. This is one of the most common medically significant snakes also the member of "Big Four" of India. Morphologically it is identified by glossy blue-black body with fine milky white bands. For precise identification sometimes it is necessary to check presence of hexagonal scales along vertebra and prominence of bands on tail side while absence of neck region.

DIAGNOSTICS CHARACTERS

Head:

7 Supralabials; 3rd & 4th in contact with eyes; 1 preocular touches posterior nasal hence loreal absent; 2 postocular; temporals 1+2.

Dorsal:

Smooth scales in 15 rows throughout. 8th scale which is on the top of the dorsal body along the vertebra is larger than adjacent dorsal scales and of hexagonal shape.

Ventral:

200-217 (234); anal undivided (entire)

Sub Caudal:

33-52; undivided.

REPRODUCTION

Oviparous, mating season begins with summer and female lays eggs in mound, holes, dense & dry leaf litters etc. in very secretive manner. Hatching occurs during start of monsoon mostly. Male combat also observed in this species during post winter and summer months.

SIZE

New born - 25-27cm.

Average length- 90-120cm.

Maximum length- 165cm.

MORPHOLOGY

Dorsal:

Body slender with shiny smooth scales of black color range. Dorsal body jet black or black mixed with brown, grey, purple ting. Presence of milky white bands (paired or unpaired) on the dorsal body is the main visible feature of Common Krait. These bands start from posterior of neck (most of the neck region looks pattern less) scale in the form of elongated white patch on the back scale (along vertebra) and expands as true band on moving towards the mid-body. Specimens without bands also recorded from many parts of its range. The vertebral scales hexagonal in shape as in all Krait species and this is a definite identification feature of this snake and genus.

Ventral:

Belly milky white in juveniles and sub-adults while may turn yellowish-white in fully grown adults. Reddish, brown or bluish ting present on the edge of ventral scales which extends up to first few dorsal scales. Sub caudal scale color similar to rest of belly and unpaired which is also a main characteristic of Bungarus (Krait) genus and not found in any other Elapid of India.

Head:

Head depressed with rounded snout; slightly broader than the neck. Upper lip brownish or yellowish and preocular scale often bear yellowish-white patch. Small eyes appear entirely black. Tongue color light red or pinkish.

Tail:

Prehensile, shorter and ends with pointed tip. Typical white bands are present and more prominent than those found in forebody.

BEHAVIOUR

Common Krait is exclusively a nocturnal species and shows activity from late evening to early morning. Activity usually terrestrial but climbs well on rough surfaces in search of prey and hide. Behaviour shy and usually non-offensive. At day time it become quite docile and less resisting while at night it becomes aggressive, sharp and alert for foraging. In defensive response it makes call like coil of body and try to hide its head under it. Flattens its most of the body on ground in aggression and can bite on further disturbance. Feeds majorly on other snakes and rodents. Also feeds on frogs, toads, lizards. 

VENOMOSITY

Common kraits are Venomous

GENERAL HABITAT

Remain hidden in dark and silent places like rat holes, termite mounds, variety of caves, old tree mounds, under rocks etc. during day time. Distributed in variety of forests including rainforest; dry, moist, mixed deciduous forest, scrub forest, wetlands, grasslands etc. Lives in almost all kinds of habitat suitable for snakes and wide range of elevations (plains and hills); this includes urban settlement, dense & open forest, hills, agricultural lands, rocky terrain etc. Prefers wet surrounding for activity.