শঁকা সাপ (ইংৰাজী: banded krait, বৈজ্ঞানিক নাম-Bungarus fasciatus) ভাৰত উপ-মহাদেশ আৰু দক্ষিণ-পূব এছিয়াত দেখা পোৱা এবিধ সাপৰ প্ৰজাতি৷[1] ২.১ মিটাৰ পৰ্যন্ত দৈৰ্ঘ্যৰে ই আটাইতকৈ দীঘল সাপবোৰৰ ভিতৰতো অন্যতম৷[2]
B. fasciatus is easily identified by its alternate black and yellow crossbands, its triangular body cross section, and the marked vertebral ridge consisting of enlarged vertebral shields along its body. The head is broad and depressed. The eyes are black. It has arrowhead-like yellow markings on its otherwise black head and has yellow lips, lores, chin, and throat.[3]
The banded krait has been recorded eastwards from central India through Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and southern China (including Hong Kong) to Malaysia and the main Indonesian islands of Borneo (Java and Sumatra), as well as Singapore.
In India, it has been recorded from Andhra Pradesh,[4] Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,[5] Northeast India, Odisha, Tamilnadu, and West Bengal.[2] It has recently been recorded from Hassan District in Karnataka, also.[6]
Banded kraits may be seen in a variety of habitats, ranging from forests to agricultural lands. They inhabit termite mounds and rodent holes close to water, and often live near human settlement, especially villages, because of their supply of rodents and water. They prefer the open plains of the countryside.
The banded krait has been found in Myanmar up to an altitude of 5000 feet.[2] শঁকা সাপ কেনেকুৱা ঠাইত দেখা যায় তাক নিৰ্দিষ্টকৈ ক'ব নোৱাৰি । ইয়াক হাবিয়নি, খেতিপথাৰ আদি সকলো ঠাইতে পোৱা যায় । জলাশয়ৰ ওচৰত থকা এন্দুৰৰ গাঁত, উই-হাঁফলু আদি শঁকা সাপৰ বাসস্থান । এন্দুৰ, পানী আদি সহজলভ্য হোৱা বাবে ইহঁত সাধাৰণতে জনবসতি থকা ঠাইত, বিশেষকৈ গাঁওবোৰত থাকে । গাঁৱৰ মুকলি ঠাই এইবিধ সাপৰ প্ৰিয় ।
Banded kraits are shy, not typically seen, and are mainly nocturnal. When harassed, they will usually hide their heads under their coils, and do not generally attempt to bite,[1] though at night they are much more active and widely considered to be more dangerous then.
During the day, they lie up in grass, pits, or drains. The snakes are lethargic and sluggish even under provocation. They are most commonly seen in the rains.[3]
The banded krait feeds mainly on other snakes, but is also known to eat fish, frogs, skinks, and snake eggs. Among the snakes taken by banded kraits are:[3] -
The prey is swallowed head first, after it has been rendered inactive by the venom.[3]
Little is known of its breeding habits. In Myanmar, a female has been dug out while incubating a clutch of eight eggs, four of which hatched in May. Young have been recorded to measure 298 to 311 mm on hatching. The snake is believed to become adult in the third year of its life, at an approximate length of 914 mm.[7]
Banded krait captured in Binnaguri, North Bengal, India
শঁকা সাপ (ইংৰাজী: banded krait, বৈজ্ঞানিক নাম-Bungarus fasciatus) ভাৰত উপ-মহাদেশ আৰু দক্ষিণ-পূব এছিয়াত দেখা পোৱা এবিধ সাপৰ প্ৰজাতি৷ ২.১ মিটাৰ পৰ্যন্ত দৈৰ্ঘ্যৰে ই আটাইতকৈ দীঘল সাপবোৰৰ ভিতৰতো অন্যতম৷
