Vietnam is home to many venomous and highly toxic snakes, notably the two “siblings” – the Malayan Krait and the Banded Krait. These are among the rarest snake species in the world and hold significant economic value. However, both the Malayan Krait and the Banded Krait are extremely poisonous, capable of causing rapid death to their victims.
The Malayan Krait and the Banded Krait belong to the Bungarus genus and share a similar appearance, with dangerously potent venom. Both are part of the Cobra family, similar in size and shape, but they can be distinguished by their contrasting body colors.
1. Malayan Krait – Bungarus fasciatus
The Malayan Krait, also known as the Golden Black Snake, the Eating Snake, Tô Cáp Đổng, Ngù Tắm Tàn… (scientific name: Bungarus fasciatus), is a species found in India, Bangladesh, southern China, and Southeast Asia. It is the longest species within the Krait genus.
This snake is venomous and is found throughout the Indian-China region, the Malay Peninsula, and southern China.
The Malayan Krait features evenly distributed black and yellow bands.
The Malayan Krait inhabits various environments, including hills, sparse forests, grasslands, riverbanks, and agricultural fields. They can often be found in termite mounds and the burrows of rodents, as well as tree hollows and rocky crevices.
Malayan Kraits are solitary creatures; during the day, they coil up in burrows or grass and are typically quite sluggish. They are commonly spotted during rainy weather. At night, they become active, hunting near rice fields, riverbanks, and puddles. Rather than actively pursuing prey, they lie in wait for it to pass by. They are excellent swimmers and often crawl towards lights.
The average body length exceeds 1 meter, with distinctive evenly spaced black and yellow bands that give this snake a striking appearance.
The head of the Malayan Krait is large and short, with round eyes. Their tails are short, with a rounded tip, and they have a longitudinal ridge along their backs. Their venom is so potent that it is considered more lethal than that of cobras.
The dorsal scales of the Malayan Krait are hexagonal in shape and larger than the scales on the sides.
2. Banded Krait – Bungarus candidus
The Banded Krait, also known as the Tiger Krait or the Silver Ringed Snake (scientific name: Bungarus candidus), is a species from the Krait family, described by Linnaeus in 1758.
This species is distributed across Cambodia, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Bali, Sulawesi), Malaysia (Malaya), Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Banded Krait features black and gray-white bands.
The coloration of the Banded Krait is characterized by black and gray-white bands. They have a triangular cross-section, with a flattened, tapered body from the hips to the tail.
Banded Kraits are usually found in grasslands and dense forests.
