Bungarus fasciatus
The banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is a neurotoxic krait with full black-and-yellow rings, found in Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali.
PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA
Banded krait vs Malayan krait: the differences
How do the Banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) and Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) differ? Classification, features, range, diet, size, IUCN status and legal protection, from cited sources.
The banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) and the Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) are different species in the same genus, Bungarus. Range in Indonesia — the banded krait: Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali; the Malayan krait: Sumatra, Java and Bali.
Bungarus candidus
The Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) is a highly venomous black-and-white banded krait of Sumatra, Java and Bali that is active at night.
Banded krait and Malayan krait compared
| Aspect | Banded krait | Malayan krait |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Bungarus fasciatus | Bungarus candidus |
| Indonesian name | Ular welang | Ular weling |
| Class | Reptilia | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata | Squamata |
| Family | Elapidae | Elapidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali | Sumatra, Java and Bali |
| Endemic to Indonesia | No | No |
| Key features | Bands ring the belly; triangular body cross-section | Black and white bands on back; plain white belly |
| Size | Up to 225 cm | — |
| Diet | Other snakes, lizards and small mammals | Other snakes, lizards, amphibians and small mammals |
| Diet type | carnivore (meat-eater) | carnivore (meat-eater) |
| Reproduction | laying eggs (oviparous) | laying eggs (oviparous) |
| IUCN status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Every cell comes from the sourced data on each animal’s page; an empty cell means the data is not yet available, not that it is absent.
How to tell them apart
- Banded krait: Bands ring the belly; triangular body cross-section.
- Malayan krait: Black and white bands on back; plain white belly.
Telling animals apart never replaces keeping your distance. Do not approach, catch or handle wild animals; if bitten, go to a health facility immediately.
Sources
- The Reptile Database — Bungarus fasciatus ↗
- Perhimpunan Herpetologi Indonesia — Ular Welang (Bungarus fasciatus) (salinan arsip Wayback Machine, April 2026) ↗
- The Herpetological Bulletin — Knierim et al. (2019), Spatial ecology study reveals nest attendance and habitat preference of banded kraits ↗
- Scientific Reports — Biakzuala et al. (2023), Molecular phylogeny reveals distinct evolutionary lineages of the banded krait ↗
- WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia — Guidelines for the management of snakebites, 2nd edition (2016) ↗
- Media Konservasi — Khoerunisa, Kusrini & Mardiastuti (2021), Diversity of snake rescued from residential areas in Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area ↗
- Ecology Asia ↗
- ReptTraits v1-2 (Oskyrko et al. 2024, Scientific Data 11:243), column 'Active time' ↗
- WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (2016), Guidelines for the management of snakebites, 2nd ed ↗
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF) ↗
- The Reptile Database — Bungarus candidus ↗
- PLOS ONE — Rusmili et al. (2019), Variations in neurotoxicity and proteome profile of Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) venoms ↗
- Scientific Reports — Hodges et al. (2022), Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape ↗
- Journal of Threatened Taxa — Hodges, D'souza & Jintapirom (2020), Diurnal observation of a Malayan Krait feeding inside a building in Thailand ↗
- Acta Medica Indonesiana — Adiwinata & Nelwan (2015), Snakebite in Indonesia ↗
- British Herpetological Society ↗
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