Tags: Banded Krait | snake

Profile
The banded krait is found in moist environments such as mountains and cultivated land. It is nocturnal, slow moving and relatively placid, approach with caution as the venom can be fatal. It mostly feeds on frogs, lizards, fish and other snake species. The mating season is between August and September with egg-laying occurring between late spring and summer. Around 3 to 20 eggs are laid per nest and these hatch after about 1.5 months.

Morphology
This medium-sized snake species grows up to 190cm in length. Its body is covered with black and white bands, with the white bands on its vertebral ridge being far narrower than the black ones. In rare cases, the black bands are pale-brown or indistinct, making the entire snake brownish-black. The snake can also be identified by its sub-caudal scales, which consist of anal scales and large dorsal scales. Rare mutations have been found in white or nondescript colors. American snake expert Joseph Slowinski died after being bitten by a banded krait in Southeast Asia that he mistook for a harmless snake.

National Museum of Natural Science (The Digital Museum of Nature & Culture)