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Concept
Bungarus
Summary
Bungarus is a genus of venomous elapid snakes, the kraits ("krait" is pronounced kraɪt, rhyming with "kite"), found in South and Southeast Asia. The genus Bungarus has 16 species.
Kraits are found in tropical and subtropical South and Southeast Asia and Indochina, ranging in the west from Iran, east through the Indian subcontinent (including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, & Sri Lanka) and into Southeast Asia (including the island of Borneo, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam).
Kraits usually range between in total length (including tail), although specimens as large as have been observed. The banded krait (B. fasciatus) may grow as large as . Most species of kraits are covered in smooth, glossy scales arranged in bold, striped patterns of alternating black and light-colored areas. This may serve as aposematic colouration 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 eyes have round pupils. Kraits have pronounced dorsolateral flattening, which causes them to be triangular in cross section.
Kraits are ophiophagous, preying primarily upon other snakes (including venomous varieties) and are cannibalistic, feeding on other kraits. They also eat mice and small lizards.
All kraits are nocturnal. They are more docile during the daylight; at night, they become very active, but are not very aggressive even when provoked. They are actually rather timid, and often hide their heads within their coiled bodies for protection. When in this posture, they sometimes whip their tails around as a type of distraction.
Kraits are oviparous. The female lays a clutch of 12 to 14 eggs in piles of leaf litter, and stays with them until they hatch.
Bungarus contains some species that are among the most venomous land snakes in the world, to mice, based on their . They have a highly potent, neurotoxic venom, which can induce muscle paralysis.
Official source
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