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Bungarus niger WALL, 1908

IUCN Red List - Bungarus niger - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaElapidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Greater Black Krait 
SynonymBungarus niger WALL 1908: 715
Bungarus niger — WALL 1908: 19
Bungarus niger — SMITH 1943: 417
Bungarus niger — WELCH 1994: 39
Bungarus niger — TILLACK 2003
Bungarus niger — WALLACH et al. 2014: 129 
DistributionIndia (Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam [Cachar district], Sikkim; Arunachal Pradesh (Miao - Changlang district, Itanagar – Papum Pare district) [A. Captain, pers. comm.], Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Nagaland), Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan.

Type locality: “Tindharia, eastern Himalayas, India”  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesTypes: BMNH 1946.1.18.63 (and possibly additional specimens). 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 867 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentVenomous! 
EtymologyNamed after Latin niger, nigra, nigrum = black. 
References
  • Ahsan, M.F. & M.M. Rahman 2017. Status, distribution and threats of kraits (Squamata: Elapidae: Bungarus) in Bangladesh. Journal of Threatened Taxa 9 (3): 9903–9910 - get paper here
  • Basfore, B., Kalita, M. J., Sharma, N., & Boro, A. R. 2024. An updated checklist of snakes (Reptilia: Squamata) in northeastern India derived from a review of recent literature. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 16(11), 26131-26149 - get paper here
  • Bauer A M; Gunther R 1992. A preliminary report on the reptile fauna of the Kingdom of Bhutan with the description of a new species of scincid lizard (Reptilia: Scincidae). Asiatic Herpetological Research 4: 23-36 - get paper here
  • Bhupathy, S., Ramesh Kumar, S., Paramanandham, J., Thirumalainathan, P. and Pranjit Kumar Sarma 2013. Conservation of reptiles in Nagaland, India. In: K. K. Singh et al. (editors), Bioresources and Traditional Knowledge of Northeast India, Mizo Post-Graduate Science Society, pp. 181-186
  • Biakzuala, L., Purkayastha, J., Rathee, Y. S., & Lalremsanga, H. T. 2021. New data on the distribution, morphology, and molecular systematics of two venomous snakes, Bungarus niger and Bungarus lividus (Serpentes: Elapidae), from north-east India. Salamandra 57 (2): 219–228
  • Das, Abhijit 2018. Notes on Snakes of the Genus Bungarus 2 (Serpentes: Elapidae) from Northeast India. in: C. Sivaperuman, K. Venkataraman (eds.), Indian Hotspots, Springer, pp: - get paper here
  • Das, Abhijit; Uttam Saikia, B. H. C. K. Murthy, Santanu Dey and Sushil K. Dutta 2009. A herpetofaunal inventory of Barail Wildlife Sanctuary and adjacent regions, Assam, north-eastern India. Hamadryad 34 (1): 117 – 134 - get paper here
  • Das, I. 2012. A Naturalist's Guide to the Snakes of South-East Asia: Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford J, ohn Beaufoy Publishing - get paper here
  • Grosselet, O., M. Vauche, A. Gupta & S. Gupta 2004. Bungarus niger Wall, 1908 (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae) : Extension of range to Cachar district, Assam, India. Russ. J. Herpetol. 11 (1): 10-11. - get paper here
  • Hakim, J., Trageser, S. J., Ghose, A., Rashid, S. M. A., & Rahman, S. C. 2020. Amphibians and reptiles from Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh. Check List, 16: 1239 - get paper here
  • Kästle , W., Rai, K. & Schleich, H.H. 2013. FIELD GUIDE to Amphibians and Reptiles of Nepal. ARCO-Nepal e.V., 625 pp. - get paper here
  • Lalremsanga, H.T.; Saipari Sailo and Chinliansiama 2011. Diversity of Snakes (Reptilia: Squamata) and Role of Environmental Factors in Their Distribution in Mizoram, Northeast India. Advances in Environmental Chemistry - get paper here
  • Laltanpuia, T. C.; C. Lalrinchhana, Lalnunsanga, Lalrotluanga, Ricky Hmingthansanga, Arti Kumari, Vanlalsawmi Renthlei, S. Lalrintluangi and H. T. Lalremsanga 2008. Snakes (Reptilia: Serpentes) of Mizoram University Campus, Tanhril, Aizawl with notes on their identification keys [in Mizo]. Science Vision 8(4): 112-127 - get paper here
  • Lenz, Norbert 2012. Von Schmetterlingen und Donnerdrachen - Natur und Kultur in Bhutan. Karlsruher Naturhefte 4, Naturkundemuseum Karlsruhe, 124 pp.
  • MALSAWMDAWNGLIANA; TLAULIANA, V. LALCHHUANAWMA, SAMUEL LALRONUNGA & ESTHER LALHMINGLIANI 2021. First observation of male combat in the greater black krait Bungarus niger. The Herpetological Bulletin (155) - get paper here
  • Purkayastha J. 2013. An Amateur’s Guide to Reptiles of Assam. EBH Publishers (India) - get paper here
  • Purkayastha, J. 2018. Urban biodiversity: an insight into the terrestrial vertebrate diversity of Guwahati, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 10(10): 12299–12316; - get paper here
  • Rafi, M.A.I.; Dey, P.; Ray, P.; Orbin, A.N. 2024. Natural history notes: Bungarus niger (Greater Black Krait). Diet and feeding behavior. Herpetological Review 55 (1): 106.
  • Rahman, M.M.; Alam, F.; Chowdhury, M.A.W. 2025. Natural history notes: Bungarus niger (Greater Black Krait). Diet and elevation. Herpetological Review 55 (2): 272. [2024]
  • Rahman, Shahriar Caesar;,, S.M.A. Rashid, Kanai Das, Luca Luiselli,∗ 2013. Composition and structure of a snake assemblage in an altered tropical forest-plantation mosaic in Bangladesh. Amphibia-Reptilia 34 (3): 41-50 - get paper here
  • Sengupta D et al. 2019. Assessment of the Reptilian Fauna in the Brahmaputra Plains of Two Districts in Assam, India. IRCF 26 (1): 65-67 - get paper here
  • Sharma, R. C. 2004. Handbook Indian Snakes. AKHIL BOOKS, New Delhi, 292 pp.
  • Sharma, S.K., Pandey, D.P., Shah, K.B., Tillack, E, Chappuis, E, Thapa, C. L., AiroI, E. & Kuch, U. 2013. Venomous snakes of Nepal: a photographic guide. B.P. Kolrala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, 85 pp. - get paper here
  • Slowinski J B. 1994. A phylogenetic analysis of Bungarus (Elapidae) based on morphological characters. Journal of Herpetology 28 (4): 440-446 - get paper here
  • Smith, M.A. 1943. The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-Region. Reptilia and Amphibia. 3 (Serpentes). Taylor and Francis, London. 583 pp.
  • Storniolo, F., Mangiacotti, M., Scali, S., Zuffi, M. A. L., & Sacchi, R. 2025. A comparative phylogenetic approach for the evolution of melanism in elapid snakes supports the Bogert's rule. Journal of Zoology 326: 289-297 - get paper here
  • Thapa, M. K., Dutta, S., Das, H. J., Pradhan, T. K., Mahanta, D., Tossa, S., ... & Ray, P. C. 2025. Herpetofaunal inventory of the Ranga Reserve Forest, Lakhimpur, Assam, India. Reptiles & Amphibians, 32(1), e21663-e21663
  • Theophilus, E.; Captain, A.; Tillack, F.; Kuch, U. 2008. Reptilia, Elapidae, Bungarus niger: Distribution extension and first record for the state of Uttarakhand, India, with notes on snakebites in the Gori River valley. Check List 4 (4): 404–409 - get paper here
  • Tillack, F. 2003. Über die Verbreitung und Biologie der Himalaya-Gebirgswassernatter Amphiesma platyceps (BLYTH 1854) und einen Fall von Amphigonia retardata (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae). Sauria 25 (1): 21-27 - get paper here
  • Tillack, Frank and Wolfgang Grossmann 2001. Ein neuer Nachweis zur Schlangenfauna Nepals: Bungarus niger Wall, 1908 (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae). Sauria 23 (1): 3-9 - get paper here
  • Wall, F. 1908. The poisonous terrestrial snakes of our British Indian dominions and how to recognise them, 2nd ed. Bombay, Bombay Natural History Society - get paper here
  • Wall,F. 1908. A popular treatise of the common Indian snakes. Part VIII. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 18: 711-735 - get paper here
  • Wallach, Van; Kenneth L. Williams , Jeff Boundy 2014. Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species. [type catalogue] Taylor and Francis, CRC Press, 1237 pp.
  • Wangyal, Jigme Tshelthrim 2019. The status of herpetofauna of Bhutan. District Forest Office, District Administration, Trashigang, Bhutan, 20-39 - get paper here
  • Wangyal, Jigme Tshelthrim; Kado Rinchen, Damanti Kumari Sunwar 2021. Presumed combat behavior in Greater Black Kraits, Bungarus niger Wall 1908, in Trongsa, Bhutan. Reptiles & Amphibians 28 (1): 159-160 - get paper here
  • Whitaker, Romulus and Ashok Captain 2004. Snakes of India. Draco Books, 500 pp., reprinted 2007 - get paper here
 
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