Bungarus 636831 215525825 2008-05-28T16:16:47Z 134.11.64.82 /* Kraits in fiction */ {{Taxobox | name = ''Bungarus'' | image = Bandedkrait.jpg | image_width = 200px | image_caption = Banded krait, ''[[Bungarus fasciatus]]'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | subphylum = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]] | classis = [[Reptile|Reptilia]] | ordo = [[Squamata]] | subordo = [[Serpentes]] | familia = [[Elapidae]] | genus = '''''Bungarus''''' | genus_authority = [[François Marie Daudin|Daudin]], [[1803]] }} '''''Bungarus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[venomous snake|venomous]] [[Elapidae|elapid]] [[snake]]s found in [[India]] and [[South-East Asia]]. Commonly referred to as '''kraits''', there are 12 [[species]] and 5 [[subspecies]]. ==Distribution== Kraits are found in the [[Indian subcontinent]] (including [[Sri Lanka]] and eastern [[Pakistan]]) and [[southeast Asia]] (including [[Indonesia]] and [[Borneo]]).<ref>[http://www.survivaliq.com/survival/poisonous-snakes-and-lizards-krait.htm SurvivalIQ: Krait]</ref> ==Description== Kraits usually range between 1 to 1.5&nbsp;m in length, although specimens as large as 2&nbsp;m have been observed. The [[Bungarus fasciatus|Banded Krait]] (''B. fasciatus'') may grow as large as 2.5&nbsp;m. Most species of krait are covered in smooth glossy [[scale (zoology)|scale]]s that are arranged in bold striped patterns of alternating [[black]] and light-colored areas. This gives the snake [[camouflage]] in its [[Habitat (ecology)|habitat]] of [[grassland]] and scrub jungle. The scales along the [[Dorsum (biology)|dorsal]] ridge of the back are [[hexagon]]al. The head is slender and the [[eye]]s have round [[pupil]]s. Kraits have a pronounced dorso-lateral flattening, and are triangular in cross-section. The [[tail]] tapers to a thin point. ==Reproduction== Kraits are [[oviparous]] and the female will lay a clutch of 6 to 12 [[egg (biology)|eggs]] in piles of leaf litter and stay with them until they hatch. ==Diet & Behavior== Kraits are [[ophiophagy|ophiophagous]], preying primarily upon other snakes (including venomous varieties) and are [[cannibalism|cannibalistic]], feeding on other kraits. They will also eat small [[lizards]].<ref>[http://www.kingsnake.com/elapids/kraits.htm Richard Mastenbroek's Elapid Pages: Kraits (''Bungarus'' ssp.)]</ref> All kraits are [[nocturnal]]. The snake is more docile during the daylight hours, becoming more aggressive during the night. However, they are 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.<ref>[http://www.expat.or.id/medical/poisonoussnakes.html Living in Indonesia:Banded Krait]</ref> ==Venom== ''Bungarus'' species contain [[neurotoxin|neurotoxic]] [[venom (poison)|venom]] that is 16 times more potent than [[cobra (snake)|cobra]] venom. Krait venom is extremely powerful and quickly induces muscle paralysis. Clinically, their venom contains mostly pre-synaptic neurotoxins. These affect the ability of nerve endings to properly release the chemical that sends the message to the next nerve. Following envenomation with bungarotoxins, 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. Not all these phases may be seen in all parts of the body at the same time. Fortunately, since kraits are [[nocturnal]] they seldom encounter humans during daylight hours so bites are rare. Nonetheless, any bite from a krait is potentially life-threatening and must therefore be regarded as a [[medical emergency]]. Note that there is frequently little or no pain at the site of a krait bite and this can provide false reassurance to the victim. Typically, victims start to complain later of severe abdominal cramps accompanied by progressive muscular paralysis, frequently starting with [[Ptosis_%28eyelid%29|ptosis]]. As there are no local symptoms, a patient should be carefully observed for tell-tale signs of paralysis (eg the onset of [[Ptosis_%28eyelid%29|ptosis]], [[diplopia]] and [[dysphagia]]) and treated urgently with [[antivenom]]. Before [[antivenom]] was developed, there was an 85% mortality rate among bite victims. <ref>[http://www-surgery.ucsd.edu/ent/DAVIDSON/Snake/Bungarus.htm Immediate First Aid for bites by Kraits (''Bungarus'' species)]</ref> Krait antivenom is often ineffective for species in the genus other than the snake originally included in the antivenom preparation. Often noted on lay websites is the statement that there is a mortality rate of 50% even with treatment [http://www.seanthomas.net/oldsite/danger.html], but there is no original source in the medical literature for this statement. Mortality remains high given that many patients envenomated never make it to healthcare facilities due to the distance from their rural homes and the often profound lack of medical resources, especially intubation supplies and mechanical ventilators in rural hospitals. 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 such support should be provided until the venom is [[metabolise]]d 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 often [[respiratory failure]] ie [[suffocation]] via complete [[paralysis]] of the [[Thoracic_diaphragm|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. In [[2001]], [[herpetologist]] Dr. [[Joseph Bruno Slowinski|Joe Slowinski]] was bitten by a [[Juvenile_%28organism%29|juvenile]] krait (''B. multicinctus'') while doing field research in [[Myanmar]]. He was unable to reach medical assistance and subsequently died from the effects of the bite. ==Species== {|cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 border=1 style="border-collapse: collapse;" !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Species !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Authority !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Subsp.* !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Common name !bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Geographic range |- |''[[Bungarus andamanensis|B. andamanensis]]'' |Biswas & Sanyal, [[1978]] |align="center"|0 |South Andaman krait |style="width:40%"|[[India]] ([[Andaman Islands|Andaman Island]]) |- |''[[Bungarus bungaroides|B. bungaroides]]'' |[[Theodore Edward Cantor|Cantor]], [[1839]] |align="center"|0 |Northeastern hill krait |[[Myanmar]], India ([[Assam]], [[Cachar]], [[Sikkim]]), [[Nepal]], [[Vietnam]] |- |''[[Bungarus caeruleus|B. caeruleus]]'' |[[Johann Gottlob Schneider|Schneider]], [[1801]] |align="center"|0 |Indian krait |[[Afghanistan]], [[Pakistan]], India ([[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]] |- |''[[Bungarus candidus|B. candidus]]'' |[[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]] |align="center"|0 |Malayan krait, Blue krait |Cambodia, [[Indonesia]] ([[Java (island)|Java]], [[Sumatra]], [[Bali]], [[Sulawesi]]), [[Malaysia]] ([[Malay Peninsula|Malaya]]), [[Singapore]], [[Thailand]], [[Vietnam]] |- |''[[Bungarus ceylonicus|B. ceylonicus]]'' |[[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], [[1864]] |align="center"|1 |Ceylon krait |Sri Lanka |- |''[[Bungarus fasciatus|B. fasciatus]]'' |[[Johann Gottlob Schneider|Schneider]], 1801 |align="center"|0 |Banded krait |[[Bangladesh]], [[Brunei]], [[Myanmar]], [[Cambodia]], south [[China]] (incl. [[Hong Kong]], [[Hainan]]), north-east [[India]], [[Bhutan]], [[Nepal]], Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, [[Borneo]]), [[Laos]], [[Macau]]; Malaysia (Malaya and [[East Malaysia]]), [[Singapore]], [[Thailand]], [[Vietnam]] |- |''[[Bungarus flaviceps|B. flaviceps]]'' |[[Johan Reinhardt|Reinhardt]], [[1843]] |align="center"|1 |Red-headed krait |South Thailand, South Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, [[Malaysian Peninsula]], [[Pulau Tioman]], Indonesia ([[Bangka]], Sumatra, Java, [[Billiton]], [[Borneo]]) |- |''[[Bungarus lividus|B. lividus]]'' |[[Theodore Edward Cantor|Cantor]], 1839 |align="center"|0 |Lesser black krait |India, Bangladesh, Nepal |- |''[[Bungarus magnimaculatus|B. magnimaculatus]]'' |Wall and Evans, [[1901]] |align="center"|0 |Burmese krait |Myanmar |- |''[[Bungarus multicinctus|B. multicinctus]]'' |[[Edward Blyth|Blyth]], [[1861]] |align="center"|1 |Many-banded Krait |Taiwan, south [[China]] (incl. Hong Kong, [[Hainan]]), Myanmar, [[Laos]], north Vietnam, Thailand |- |''[[Bungarus niger|B. niger]]'' |Wall, [[1908]] |align="center"|0 |Black krait |India (Assam, Sikkim), Nepal, Bangladesh, [[Bhutan]] |- |''[[Bungarus sindanus|B. sindanus]]'' |[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], [[1897]] |align="center"|2 |Sind krait |South-east Pakistan, India |- |} ''*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).'' ==Kraits in fiction== Kraits have reputations as deadly snakes and have figured in fiction as such. Rudyard Kipling used a small, sand colored krait as one of the three main villains in his short story Rikki-Tiki-Tavi. (The other two villains being a couple of Black Cobras) [[Roald Dahl]] uses the krait as a device in his short story "Poison." The krait also appears in [[Frederick Forsyth]]'s short story "There Are No Snakes in Ireland" (referencing Kipling's Rikki-Tiki-Tavi, with the assumption that Kipling may actually have meant the [[Saw-scaled viper]]; included in his collection ''No Comebacks''). It has also 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.)<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.strangemag.com/rosenblatt.fauna.html| title=Fauna in the Canon |publisher=strangemag.com}}</ref> In a slightly more oblique reference, the motion picture ''[[Snakes on a Plane]]'' features a villainous snake smuggler named "Kraitler." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417148/fullcredits#cast| title=''Snakes on a Plane''| publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> In Dean Koontz's "The Good Guy", the hitman assigned to murder one of the protagonists calls himself Krait. In [[Guild Wars]] 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. == References == <references /> * {{EMBL genus|genus=Bungarus}} * {{ITIS|ID=700207|taxon=Bungarus|year=2006|date=6 May}} ==External links== *[http://outside.away.com/outside/adventure/200204/200204_bit_1.adp Detailed account of Joe Slowinski's death via krait bite] [[Category:Elapidae]] [[Category:Fauna of India]] [[Category:Reptiles of Pakistan]] [[de:Kraits]] [[eo:Bungaro]] [[fr:Bungarus]] [[ka:კრაიტი]] [[lt:Bungarai]] [[no:Kraiter]] [[fi:Kraitit]] [[vi:Chi Cạp nia]] [[zh:環蛇屬]]