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Description
งูทับสมิงคลา.
Bungarus candidus.

The Blue Krait (also known as the Malayan Krait) is the smallest of the three krait species occuring in Thailand, reaching only up to 130 cm. Named after the bluish hue of its broad, black bands, it is just as deadly as its relative krait cousins and also resembles them in terms of behaviour (avoiding sunlight; although it is known for striking at day, which other kraits normally won't do) and hunting (its prey being mostly other snakes).

The Blue Krait can easily be confused with similar (yet harmless) patterned species, like Dinodon septentrionalis or Lycodon subcinctus (the identification can also even be more difficult since the Blue Krait isn't as heavily triangle-shaped as the other krait species are).

In 1932, an unbanded black specimen with a porcelain coloured belly was found in Western Java and described by herpetologist Felix Kopstein as B. javanicus. The late Joe Slowinski believed this specimen to be a just a black colour variation of the Blue Krait, though.

Snakes Of Thailand

Description
งูทับสมิงคลา.
Bungarus candidus.

The Blue Krait (also known as the Malayan Krait) is the smallest of the three krait species occuring in Thailand, reaching only up to 130 cm. Named after the bluish hue of its broad, black bands, it is just as deadly as its relative krait cousins and also resembles them in terms of behaviour (avoiding sunlight; although it is known for striking at day, which other kraits normally won't do) and hunting (its prey being mostly other snakes).

The Blue Krait can easily be confused with similar (yet harmless) patterned species, like Dinodon septentrionalis or Lycodon subcinctus (the identification can also even be more difficult since the Blue Krait isn't as heavily triangle-shaped as the other krait species are).

In 1932, an unbanded black specimen with a porcelain coloured belly was found in Western Java and described by herpetologist Felix Kopstein as B. javanicus. The late Joe Slowinski believed this specimen to be a just a black colour variation of the Blue Krait, though.

Snakes Of Thailand