Greater Black Krait | Bungarus niger Wall, 1908

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The Greater Black Krait (Bungarus niger) is a highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. Unlike the strongly banded appearance associated with several other kraits, this species is remarkable for its uniform, glossy dark colouration. Its body may appear bluish-black, dark chocolate brown or dark grey, while the underside is contrastingly white or off-white.

The species occurs across parts of the Himalayan foothills and the northeastern Indian subcontinent, with records from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. In India, it has been recorded from Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.

Greater Black Krait | Bungarus niger

The Greater Black Krait is a member of the genus Bungarus, commonly known as kraits. Kraits are elapid snakes and include some of the medically important venomous snakes of South and Southeast Asia. Bungarus niger is particularly distinctive because of its patternless dark body and enlarged vertebral scales.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Bungarus
Species: niger

Binomial Name: Bungarus niger Wall, 1908

Identification and Scalation

The Greater Black Krait can be recognised by a combination of its dark colouration and distinctive scalation.

It has 7 supralabial scales, with the 3rd and 4th supralabials in contact with the eye. The loreal scale is absent.

The dorsal scales are smooth and arranged in 15 rows. One of its most useful identification features is the series of enlarged hexagonal vertebral scales, which are broader than long and distinctly larger than the scales adjacent to them.

The species has approximately 47–57 undivided subcaudal scales.

The enlarged vertebral scales are particularly useful in distinguishing the Greater Black Krait from the closely related Lesser Black Krait (Bungarus lividus).

Morphology

The Greater Black Krait is a medium-sized snake, reaching a maximum recorded length of around 130 cm in the information supplied here.

The entire dorsal surface is generally patternless and glossy, ranging from bluish-black to dark chocolate brown or dark grey. This uniform colouration gives the snake a rather understated appearance compared with the boldly banded kraits.

The underside is also patternless and is generally white or off-white, with the outer edges of the ventral scales showing grey shading.

The head is moderate in size and slightly broader than the neck. The snout is rounded. As in typical kraits, the eyes can appear entirely black, adding to the snake's distinctive appearance.

Its dark, glossy body and enlarged vertebral scales make it one of the more easily recognisable black kraits when seen clearly.

Distribution

The Greater Black Krait has a predominantly Himalayan and northeastern distribution.

In India, it is recorded from:

• Arunachal Pradesh
• Assam
• Manipur
• Meghalaya
• Mizoram
• Nagaland
• Sikkim
• Tripura
• Uttarakhand
• West Bengal

Beyond India, the species is known from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The species was historically described from material associated with the eastern Himalayas, and subsequent records have considerably expanded our understanding of its distribution.

Habitat and Behaviour

The Greater Black Krait is a terrestrial snake and is principally active during the evening and night. Available records indicate that it can occur in forests and their surroundings, agricultural areas and human-modified landscapes, and may sometimes enter houses.

Like other kraits, it is an elusive snake and is not usually encountered openly during the daytime. Its dark colouration and nocturnal activity can make it particularly difficult to notice in its natural surroundings.

The species is oviparous, meaning that it reproduces by laying eggs.

Diet

Available information indicates that Bungarus niger is a predator capable of feeding on a variety of smaller animals. Recorded prey includes small snakes, rodents, frogs, lizards and fish.

As with other predatory snakes, its ecological role is important in regulating populations of its prey within the habitats where it occurs.

A Black Krait Without Bands

When people hear the word krait, they often imagine a snake covered with contrasting bands. The Greater Black Krait challenges that familiar image.

Its body is almost entirely dark and patternless, with the glossy surface sometimes showing bluish or chocolate tones depending on the light. Rather than relying on striking bands for recognition, this species has a different visual signature: a dark body, contrasting pale underside and enlarged vertebral scales.

This is one reason careful identification is important. A dark snake seen briefly at night should never be identified solely from colour.

Venom

The Greater Black Krait is highly venomous, and bites can cause serious envenoming. Krait venom is associated with neurotoxic effects, and documented cases involving Bungarus niger have included severe neuromuscular weakness and respiratory paralysis.

Therefore, this is a snake that should never be handled or approached for identification. If a bite is suspected, immediate medical attention is essential.

Conservation Status

According to the information supplied for this profile:

WLPA: Schedule IV
IUCN: Least Concern (LC)

The species is currently recognised as Bungarus niger by major reptile databases, with a distribution extending across India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Its occurrence in human-modified habitats also highlights the importance of understanding snakes rather than killing them simply because they are venomous.

The PerSonaLife Perspective

The Greater Black Krait is a reminder that wildlife does not always need bright colours or dramatic patterns to be remarkable.

A glossy black body, completely black-looking eyes, and enlarged hexagonal vertebral scales are enough to make this krait unmistakable to an experienced observer. Yet for most people, it may simply appear to be another dark snake disappearing into the night.

Understanding species like Bungarus niger changes that perspective.

Fear may tell us to step away—but knowledge tells us what we are looking at.

And sometimes, one of nature's most fascinating animals is the one that chooses to remain almost completely hidden.

🐍 If this changed the way you see wildlife, pass it on. Stay with #Personalife as we continue exploring nature's hidden masterpieces. 🌿

Literature Cited

• Ahsan, M.F. & Rahman, M.M. 2017. Status, distribution and threats of kraits (Squamata: Elapidae: Bungarus) in Bangladesh. Journal of Threatened Taxa 9(3): 9903–9910.
• Captain, A., Tillack, F. & Kuch, U. Records on the distribution and identification of Bungarus niger in India.
• Indian Snakebite Initiative. Greater Black Krait (Bungarus niger) species profile.
• The Reptile Database. Bungarus niger Wall, 1908.
• Whitaker, R. & Captain, A. 2004. Snakes of India: The Field Guide.
• Malsawmda et al. 2021. First observation of male combat in the Greater Black Krait Bungarus niger. Herpetological Bulletin 155: 32–33.