Bungarus
Encyclopedia
Bungarus, commonly referred to as kraits , is a genus
of venomous
elapid
snake
s found in South
and South-East Asia. There are 12 species
and 5 subspecies
recognized.
(including Sri Lanka
and eastern Pakistan
) and southeast Asia
(including Indonesia
and Borneo
).
(B. fasciatus) may grow as large as 2.125 metres (7 ft). Most species of krait are covered in smooth glossy scale
s that are arranged in bold striped patterns of alternating black
and light-colored areas. This gives the snake camouflage
in its habitat
of grassland
and scrub jungle. The scales along the dorsal
ridge of the back are hexagonal. The head is slender and the eye
s have round pupil
s. Kraits have a pronounced dorsolateral flattening, and are triangular in cross section. The tail
tapers to a thin point.
, preying primarily upon other snakes (including venomous varieties) and are cannibalistic
, feeding on other kraits. They will also eat mice and small lizards.
All kraits are nocturnal. They are more docile during the daylight hours; at night they become very active, but are not very aggressive even when provoked. They are actually rather timid, and will often hide their heads within their coiled bodies for protection. When in this posture, they will sometimes whip their tail around as a type of distraction.
in piles of leaf litter and stay with them until they hatch.
venom which can induce muscle paralysis. Clinically, their venom contains mostly pre-synaptic
neurotoxin
s. These affect the ability of neuron endings to properly release the chemical that sends the message to the next neuron. Following envenomation with bungarotoxin
s, transmitter release is initially blocked (leading to a brief paralysis), followed by a period of massive overexcitation (cramps, tremors, spasms), which finally tails off to paralysis. These phases may not be seen in all parts of the body at the same time. Since kraits are nocturnal they seldom encounter humans during daylight hours, so bites are rare and they may prefer to deliver non-fatal bites, but a bite from a krait is potentially life-threatening, and should be regarded as a medical emergency
.
Typically, victims start to complain later of severe abdominal cramps accompanied by progressive muscular paralysis, frequently starting with ptosis
. As there are no local symptoms, a patient should be carefully observed for tell-tale signs of paralysis (e.g. the onset of ptosis
, diplopia
and dysphagia
) and treated urgently with antivenom. There is frequently little or no pain at the site of a krait bite, which can provide false reassurance to the victim. The major medical difficulty of patients envenomated are the lack of medical resources (especially intubation supplies and mechanical ventilators in rural hospitals) and the ineffectiveness of the antivenom. Definitive care may also be delayed as patients may first visit the local mantrik
or tantrik
, a holy person and traditional healer who may attempt to rid the body of the venom with spells or herbal remedies, which are ineffective interventions.
Once at a healthcare facility support must be provided until the venom is metabolised and the victim can breathe unaided, especially if there is no species-specific antivenom available. Given that the toxins alter acetylcholine transmission which causes the paralysis, some patients have been successfully treated with cholinesterase
inhibitors such as physostigmine
or neostigmine
, but success is variable and may be species dependent as well.
If death occurs it typically takes place approximately 6 to 12 hours after the krait bite, but can be significantly delayed. Cause of death is usually respiratory failure
i.e. suffocation
via complete paralysis
of the diaphragm
. Even if patients make it to a hospital subsequent permanent coma
and even brain death from hypoxia
may occur given potentially long transport times to get medical care.
The mortality rates caused by the members of this genus vary among different species:a bite from the banded krait has an untreated mortality rate of 1—10% while that of the common krait
is 70—80%. Several websites state that there is a mortality rate of 50% even with treatment, but no specific species
is given and there is no original source in the medical literature for this statement.
The polyvalent Elapid Antivenom is effective in neutralizing of the venoms of Bungarus candidus and Bungarus flaviceps and rather effective in the neutralization of the venom of Bungarus fasciatus. In this last case, the monovalent Bungarus fasciatus antivenom is also moderately effective.
*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).
used a small, sand colored krait as one of the three main villains in his short story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
". (The other two villains being a pair of black cobras). In another Kipling short story, "The Return of Imray," a servant arrested for murder cheats the rope by stepping on a karait.
Roald Dahl
uses the krait as a device in his short story "Poison". A version of "Poison" is shown in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV series)
October 5, 1958 and remade in Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)
March 29, 1980. The krait also appears in Frederick Forsyth
's short story "There Are No Snakes in Ireland" (referencing Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, with the assumption that Kipling may actually have meant the Saw-scaled viper; included in his collection No Comebacks).
It has been argued that the deadly snake in the Sherlock Holmes
story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band
" may have been a krait, although it is described in that work as an "Indian swamp adder." (The Russell's Viper has also been considered as a possible culprit.)
In a slightly more oblique reference, the motion picture Snakes on a Plane
features a villainous snake smuggler named "Kraitler."
In Dean Koontz's The Good Guy, the hitman assigned to murder one of the protagonists calls himself Krait.
In the Guild Wars
expansion Eye Of the North there is a race of snake-like creatures called Krait.
In Mercedes Lackey
's The Serpent's Shadow, Maya's father was killed by a krait while living in India.
In the Star Wars: Legacy
comic book series, the leader of the New Sith Order is known as Darth Krayt. Though named after the fictional Krayt Dragon, it is possible that the venomous dragon was named after the krait.
In the early computer game Elite, Krait is the model name of a pirate starship
. An homage to it is presented in the later game Escape Velocity Override
, where a similar type of renegade fighter craft is also named the Krait.
In Ben Bova
's book The Precipice
: The Asteroid Wars, vol.1, the character Pancho Lane has a 35 cm Metallic blue Krait, named Elly.
In Mohammed Hanif
's book A Case of Exploding Mangoes
, Ali Shigri sees them and Blind Zainab kills one.
In James Patterson
's The 8th Confession kraits are the murder weapons used by a serial killer.
In Philip Caputo
's "In the Forest of the Laughing Elephant" krait venom is on the arrow that kills the main character, Lincoln Coombes.
In the Alfred Hitchcock Presents
episode "Poison", a man discovers there is a krait lying on his stomach.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of venomous
Venomous snake
"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...
elapid
Elapidae
Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, terrestrially in Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America and aquatically in the Pacific and Indian Oceans...
snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s found in South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and South-East Asia. There are 12 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
and 5 subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
recognized.
Distribution
Kraits are found in the Indian subcontinentIndian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
(including Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and eastern Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) and southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
(including Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
).
Description
Kraits usually range between 1 metre in length, although specimens as large as 2 m have been observed. The Banded KraitBungarus fasciatus
The Banded krait is a species of genus Bungarus found in Indian Sub-continent, North Asia and Southeast Asia. It is one of the largest kraits with a maximum length up to .- Description :B...
(B. fasciatus) may grow as large as 2.125 metres (7 ft). Most species of krait are covered in smooth glossy scale
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
s that are arranged in bold striped patterns of alternating black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
and light-colored areas. This gives the snake camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
in its habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
of grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and scrub jungle. The scales along the dorsal
Dorsum (biology)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
ridge of the back are hexagonal. The head is slender and the eye
Eye
Eyes are organs that detect light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. The simplest photoreceptors in conscious vision connect light to movement...
s have round pupil
Pupil
The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to enter the retina. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the tissues inside the eye. In humans the pupil is round, but other species, such as some cats, have slit pupils. In...
s. Kraits have a pronounced dorsolateral flattening, and are triangular in cross section. The tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
tapers to a thin point.
Diet and behavior
Kraits are ophiophagousOphiophagy
Ophiophagy is a specialized form of feeding or alimentary behavior of animals which hunt and eat snakes. There are ophiophagous mammals , birds , lizards , and even other snakes, such as the Central and South American mussuranas and...
, preying primarily upon other snakes (including venomous varieties) and are cannibalistic
Cannibalism (zoology)
In zoology, cannibalism is the act of one individual of a species consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded for more than 1500 species...
, feeding on other kraits. They will also eat mice and small lizards.
All kraits are nocturnal. They are more docile during the daylight hours; at night they become very active, but are not very aggressive even when provoked. They are actually rather timid, and will often hide their heads within their coiled bodies for protection. When in this posture, they will sometimes whip their tail around as a type of distraction.
Reproduction
Kraits are oviparous, and the female will lay a clutch of 12 to 14 eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
in piles of leaf litter and stay with them until they hatch.
Venom
Bungarus species have highly potent neurotoxicNeurotoxin
A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells , usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels. Some sources are more general, and define the effect of neurotoxins as occurring at nerve tissue...
venom which can induce muscle paralysis. Clinically, their venom contains mostly pre-synaptic
Synaptic
Synaptic may refer to:*Synapse, part of the nervous system*Synapsis, the pairing of two homologous chromosomes*Synaptic , a Linux graphical package management program for APT See also...
neurotoxin
Neurotoxin
A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells , usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels. Some sources are more general, and define the effect of neurotoxins as occurring at nerve tissue...
s. These affect the ability of neuron endings to properly release the chemical that sends the message to the next neuron. Following envenomation with bungarotoxin
Bungarotoxin
α-Bungarotoxin is one of the components of the venom of the elapid snake Taiwanese banded krait . It binds irreversibly and competitively to the acetylcholine receptor found at the neuromuscular junction, causing paralysis, respiratory failure and death in the victim...
s, transmitter release is initially blocked (leading to a brief paralysis), followed by a period of massive overexcitation (cramps, tremors, spasms), which finally tails off to paralysis. These phases may not be seen in all parts of the body at the same time. Since kraits are nocturnal they seldom encounter humans during daylight hours, so bites are rare and they may prefer to deliver non-fatal bites, but a bite from a krait is potentially life-threatening, and should be regarded as a medical emergency
Medical emergency
A medical emergency is an injury or illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long term health. These emergencies may require assistance from another person, who should ideally be suitably qualified to do so, although some of these emergencies can be dealt with by the...
.
Typically, victims start to complain later of severe abdominal cramps accompanied by progressive muscular paralysis, frequently starting with ptosis
Ptosis (eyelid)
Ptosis is a drooping of the upper or lower eyelid. The drooping may be worse after being awake longer, when the individual's muscles are tired. This condition is sometimes called "lazy eye", but that term normally refers to amblyopia...
. As there are no local symptoms, a patient should be carefully observed for tell-tale signs of paralysis (e.g. the onset of ptosis
Ptosis (eyelid)
Ptosis is a drooping of the upper or lower eyelid. The drooping may be worse after being awake longer, when the individual's muscles are tired. This condition is sometimes called "lazy eye", but that term normally refers to amblyopia...
, diplopia
Diplopia
Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object that may be displaced horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in relation to each other...
and dysphagia
Dysphagia
Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing. Although classified under "symptoms and signs" in ICD-10, the term is sometimes used as a condition in its own right. Sufferers are sometimes unaware of their dysphagia....
) and treated urgently with antivenom. There is frequently little or no pain at the site of a krait bite, which can provide false reassurance to the victim. The major medical difficulty of patients envenomated are the lack of medical resources (especially intubation supplies and mechanical ventilators in rural hospitals) and the ineffectiveness of the antivenom. Definitive care may also be delayed as patients may first visit the local mantrik
Mantrik
A Mantrik or mantric is someone who specializes in practicing mantra. In India the word mantrik & similar names are synonymous with magician in different languages. Generally a mantrik is supposed to derive his powers from the use of charms, mantras, spells and other methods...
or tantrik
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
, a holy person and traditional healer who may attempt to rid the body of the venom with spells or herbal remedies, which are ineffective interventions.
Once at a healthcare facility support must be provided until the venom is metabolised and the victim can breathe unaided, especially if there is no species-specific antivenom available. Given that the toxins alter acetylcholine transmission which causes the paralysis, some patients have been successfully treated with cholinesterase
Cholinesterase
In biochemistry, cholinesterase is a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid, a reaction necessary to allow a cholinergic neuron to return to its resting state after activation.-Types:...
inhibitors such as physostigmine
Physostigmine
Physostigmine is a parasympathomimetic alkaloid, specifically, a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor. It occurs naturally in the Calabar bean....
or neostigmine
Neostigmine
Neostigmine is a parasympathomimetic that acts as a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.- Synthesis :Neostigmine was first synthesized by Aeschlimann and Reinert in 1931....
, but success is variable and may be species dependent as well.
If death occurs it typically takes place approximately 6 to 12 hours after the krait bite, but can be significantly delayed. Cause of death is usually respiratory failure
Respiratory failure
The term respiratory failure, in medicine, is used to describe inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, with the result that arterial oxygen and/or carbon dioxide levels cannot be maintained within their normal ranges. A drop in blood oxygenation is known as hypoxemia; a rise in arterial...
i.e. suffocation
Suffocation
Suffocation is the process of Asphyxia.Suffocation may also refer to:* Suffocation , an American death metal band* "Suffocation", a song on Morbid Angel's debut album, Altars of Madness...
via complete paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
of the diaphragm
Thoracic diaphragm
In the anatomy of mammals, the thoracic diaphragm, or simply the diaphragm , is a sheet of internal skeletal muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage. The diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity and performs an important function in respiration...
. Even if patients make it to a hospital subsequent permanent coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
and even brain death from hypoxia
Hypoxia (medical)
Hypoxia, or hypoxiation, is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Variations in arterial oxygen concentrations can be part of the normal physiology, for example, during strenuous physical exercise...
may occur given potentially long transport times to get medical care.
The mortality rates caused by the members of this genus vary among different species:a bite from the banded krait has an untreated mortality rate of 1—10% while that of the common krait
Common Krait
The common krait is a species of genus Bungarus found in the jungles of the Indian subcontinent. It is a member of the "big four", species inflicting the most snakebites in India....
is 70—80%. Several websites state that there is a mortality rate of 50% even with treatment, but no specific species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
is given and there is no original source in the medical literature for this statement.
The polyvalent Elapid Antivenom is effective in neutralizing of the venoms of Bungarus candidus and Bungarus flaviceps and rather effective in the neutralization of the venom of Bungarus fasciatus. In this last case, the monovalent Bungarus fasciatus antivenom is also moderately effective.
Species
| Species | Authority | Subsp.* | Common name | Geographic range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B. andamanensis Bungarus andamanensis The South Andaman krait is a species of krait, a venomous elapid snake, which is found in the Andaman Islands of India.-References:... |
Biswas & Sanyal, 1978 | 0 | South Andaman krait | India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... (Andaman Island Andaman Islands The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east... ) |
| B. bungaroides Bungarus bungaroides Bungarus bungaroides, commonly known as the Northeastern hill krait, is a species of venomous elapid snake.-Description:Diagnostic characters: Dorsal scales in 15 longitudinal rows at midbody; subcaudal scutes ordinarily divided anteriorly, but occasionally some scutes may be single, but always... |
(Cantor Theodore Edward Cantor Theodore Edward Cantor was a Danish physician, zoologist and botanist.Cantor worked for the British East India Company. He made natural history collections in Penang and Malacca... , 1839) |
0 | Northeastern hill krait | Myanmar Myanmar Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south.... , India (Assam Assam Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country... , Cachar, Sikkim Sikkim Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains... ), Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India... , Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –... |
| B. caeruleus | (Schneider Johann Gottlob Schneider Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider was a German classicist and naturalist.-Biography:Schneider was born at Collm in Saxony... , 1801) |
0 | common krait | Afghanistan Afghanistan Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world... , Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan... , India (Maharashtra Maharashtra Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... , Karnataka Karnataka Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava... ), Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... , Bangladesh Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south... , Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India... |
| B. candidus Bungarus candidus Bungarus candidus, commonly known as the Malayan krait or blue krait, is a species of krait, a venomous elapid snake.-Geographic range:It is found in southeast Asia from Indochina south to Java and Bali-Description:... |
(Linnaeus, 1758) | 0 | Malayan krait, blue krait | Cambodia, Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an... (Java, Sumatra Sumatra Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538... , Bali Bali Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east... , Sulawesi Sulawesi Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to... ), Malaysia (Malaya Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland... ), Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... , Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... , Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –... |
| B. ceylonicus Sri Lankan Krait The Sri Lankan krait is a species of venomous elapid snake which is endemic to the island Sri Lanka.-Distribution:Endemic to Sri Lanka, it is fairly common to the central hilly areas of the island... |
Günther, 1864 | 1 | Sri Lankan krait | Sri Lanka |
| B. fasciatus Bungarus fasciatus The Banded krait is a species of genus Bungarus found in Indian Sub-continent, North Asia and Southeast Asia. It is one of the largest kraits with a maximum length up to .- Description :B... |
(Schneider Johann Gottlob Schneider Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider was a German classicist and naturalist.-Biography:Schneider was born at Collm in Saxony... , 1801) |
0 | banded krait | Bangladesh Bangladesh Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south... , Brunei Brunei Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia... , Myanmar Myanmar Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south.... , Cambodia Cambodia Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia... , south China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... (incl. Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... , Hainan Hainan Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name... ), north-east India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... , Bhutan Bhutan Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China... , Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India... , Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo Borneo Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia.... ), Laos Laos Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west... , Macau Macau Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China... ; Malaysia (Malaya and East Malaysia East Malaysia East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are... ), Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... , Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... , Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –... |
| B. flaviceps | (Reinhardt Johan Reinhardt Johannes Christopher Hagemann Reinhardt was a professor in zoology at the University of Copenhagen.Born in Rendalen parish in Norway, his father, Johannes Henrik Reinhardt, was a priest, and his mother, Johanne Elisabeth Mommesen, was from Holmestrand . He was not baptized Johannes, but adopted... , 1843) |
1 | red-headed krait | South Thailand, South Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysian Peninsula, Pulau Tioman, Indonesia (Bangka Bangka Regency Bangka Regency is a regency of Bangka-Belitung, Indonesia. Which Sungailiat as its regency seat.The regency is divided into 8 subdistricts :- External links :... , Sumatra, Java, Billiton, Borneo Borneo Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia.... ) |
| B. lividus Bungarus lividus The lesser black krait is a species of venomous elapid snake found in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.Type locality: Assam, India.-References:... |
Cantor Theodore Edward Cantor Theodore Edward Cantor was a Danish physician, zoologist and botanist.Cantor worked for the British East India Company. He made natural history collections in Penang and Malacca... , 1839 |
0 | lesser black krait | India, Bangladesh, Nepal |
| B. magnimaculatus | Wall Frank Wall Frank Wall was a physician and herpetologist who lived in Sri Lanka and India.Wall was born in Colombo, Ceylon . His father worked there and was responsible for initiating the study of natural history on the island. Wall studied medicine in London and joined the Indian Medical Service in 1893... and Evans, 1901 |
0 | Burmese krait | Myanmar |
| B. multicinctus Bungarus multicinctus The Many-banded krait , also known as the Taiwanese krait or the Chinese krait, is a species of the genus Bungarus found predominantly in mainland China and Taiwan.-Geographic range and habitat:... |
Blyth Edward Blyth Edward Blyth was an English zoologist and pharmacist. He was one of the founders of zoology in India.... , 1861 |
1 | many-banded krait | Taiwan, south China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... (incl. Hong Kong, Hainan Hainan Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name... ), Myanmar, Laos Laos Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west... , north Vietnam, Thailand |
| B. niger Bungarus niger The greater black krait is a species of krait, a venomous elapid snake.-Geographic range:It is found in India mainly along the sub-Himalayas from Uttaranchal in the west to Arunachal Pradesh and beyond India in the east... |
Wall Frank Wall Frank Wall was a physician and herpetologist who lived in Sri Lanka and India.Wall was born in Colombo, Ceylon . His father worked there and was responsible for initiating the study of natural history on the island. Wall studied medicine in London and joined the Indian Medical Service in 1893... , 1908 |
0 | greater black krait | India (Assam, Sikkim), Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan Bhutan Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China... |
| B. sindanus Bungarus sindanus The Sind krait is a species of krait, a venomous elapid snake found in Asia. Three subspecies are recognized.-Distribution:The geographic ranges of the subspecies in Pakistan and India are as follows:... |
Boulenger George Albert Boulenger George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:... , 1897 |
2 | Sind krait | South-east Pakistan, India |
*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).
In fiction
Kraits have a reputation as deadly snakes and have figured in fiction as such. Rudyard KiplingRudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
used a small, sand colored krait as one of the three main villains in his short story "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a short story in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling about the adventures of a valiant young mongoose.The story is notable for its frightening and serious tone. It has often been anthologised and has also been published more than once as a short book in its own right...
". (The other two villains being a pair of black cobras). In another Kipling short story, "The Return of Imray," a servant arrested for murder cheats the rope by stepping on a karait.
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
uses the krait as a device in his short story "Poison". A version of "Poison" is shown in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV series)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
October 5, 1958 and remade in Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)
Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)
Tales of the Unexpected is a British television series originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television for ITV. Filming began in 1978.The series was an anthology of different tales...
March 29, 1980. The krait also appears in Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
's short story "There Are No Snakes in Ireland" (referencing Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, with the assumption that Kipling may actually have meant the Saw-scaled viper; included in his collection No Comebacks).
It has been argued that the deadly snake in the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the eighth of the twelve stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It is one of four Sherlock Holmes stories that can be classified as a locked...
" may have been a krait, although it is described in that work as an "Indian swamp adder." (The Russell's Viper has also been considered as a possible culprit.)
In a slightly more oblique reference, the motion picture Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane is a 2006 American horror-action-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Samuel L. Jackson. It was released by New Line Cinema on August 18, 2006 in North America...
features a villainous snake smuggler named "Kraitler."
In Dean Koontz's The Good Guy, the hitman assigned to murder one of the protagonists calls himself Krait.
In the Guild Wars
Guild Wars
Guild Wars is an episodic series of online 3D fantasy role-playing games developed by ArenaNet and published by NCsoft. Although often defined as an MMORPG the developers define it as a CORPG due to significant differences from the MMORPG genre. It provides two main modes of gameplay—a cooperative...
expansion Eye Of the North there is a race of snake-like creatures called Krait.
In Mercedes Lackey
Mercedes Lackey
Mercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
's The Serpent's Shadow, Maya's father was killed by a krait while living in India.
In the Star Wars: Legacy
Star Wars: Legacy
Star Wars: Legacy is an American comic book series set in the Star Wars universe. The series, published by Dark Horse Comics, is written by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, and illustrated by Duursema and others, with inks by Dan Parsons and color by Brad Anderson...
comic book series, the leader of the New Sith Order is known as Darth Krayt. Though named after the fictional Krayt Dragon, it is possible that the venomous dragon was named after the krait.
In the early computer game Elite, Krait is the model name of a pirate starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
. An homage to it is presented in the later game Escape Velocity Override
Escape Velocity Override
Escape Velocity Override is a space trading simulator game developed by Ambrosia Software for the Apple Macintosh. It is the sequel to Escape Velocity with an extended version of the original game engine, but Override has an entirely new story line set in a different, larger universe.Escape...
, where a similar type of renegade fighter craft is also named the Krait.
In Ben Bova
Ben Bova
Benjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
's book The Precipice
The Precipice
The Precipice is a science fiction novel by Hugo Award winner Ben Bova. This novel is part of the Grand Tour series of novels. It is the first book in the The Asteroid Wars series. It was first published in 2001...
: The Asteroid Wars, vol.1, the character Pancho Lane has a 35 cm Metallic blue Krait, named Elly.
In Mohammed Hanif
Mohammed Hanif
Mohammed Hanif is a Pakistani writer and journalist.-Life:He was born in Okara. He graduated from Pakistan Air Force Academy as a pilot officer, but subsequently left to pursue a career in journalism...
's book A Case of Exploding Mangoes
A Case of Exploding Mangoes
A Case of Exploding Mangoes is a comic novel by the Pakistani writer Mohammed Hanif based on the plane crash that killed General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, former president of Pakistan...
, Ali Shigri sees them and Blind Zainab kills one.
In James Patterson
James Patterson
James B. Patterson is an American author of thriller novels, largely known for his series about American psychologist Alex Cross...
's The 8th Confession kraits are the murder weapons used by a serial killer.
In Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo is an American author and journalist. He is best-known for A Rumor of War, a best-selling memoir of his experiences during the Vietnam War....
's "In the Forest of the Laughing Elephant" krait venom is on the arrow that kills the main character, Lincoln Coombes.
In the Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. The series featured dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. By the premiere of the show on October 2, 1955, Hitchcock had been directing films for over three decades...
episode "Poison", a man discovers there is a krait lying on his stomach.