krait

krait
/kruyt/, n.
any of several large, usually banded, placid but highly venomous snakes constituting the genus Bungarus, of the cobra family, common in southeastern Asia and the Malay Archipelago.
[1870-75; < Hindi karait]

* * *

snake
      any of 12 species of highly venomous snakes belonging to the cobra family (Elapidae (elapid)). Kraits live in Asian forests and farmland from Pakistan to southern China and southward into Indonesia. They are terrestrial, feeding mainly on other snakes but also on frogs, lizards, and small mammals. Kraits are nocturnal hunters and are dangerous to humans only when stepped on or otherwise strongly provoked.

      The banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) of Southeast Asia grows to 2 metres (6.6 feet), and other species commonly reach more than a metre in length. All have bodies that are strongly triangular in cross-section. Some are boldly coloured in bands of black and white or yellow; others are dark-bodied with a brightly coloured (often red) head and tail. Kraits lay eggs in clutches of 2–14, depending on the species.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Krait — Krait, n. [Native name.] (Zo[ o]l.) A very venomous snake of India ({Bungarus c[oe]ruleus}), allied to the cobra. Its upper parts are bluish or brownish black, often with narrow white streaks; the belly is whitish. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Krait — der; s, s (meist Plur.) <aus gleichbed. Hindi krait> Gattung bis 2 m langer Giftnattern in Süd u. Südostasien …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • krait- — *krait germ., Verb: nhd. ritzen; ne. scratch (Verb); Hinweis: s. *kraita ; Etymologie: s. ing. *gred ?, *grod ?, Verb, kratzen?, Pokorny 405 …   Germanisches Wörterbuch

  • krait — [krīt] n. [Hindi karait] any of a genus (Bungarus) of SC and SE Asian elapine snakes that are generally black or dark brown with tan or yellow bands …   English World dictionary

  • Krait — Kraits Gebänderter Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) Systematik Reihe: Landwirbeltiere (Tetrapoda) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Krait — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Animaux Le Krait est un serpent venimeux. Objets La Krait est une souris de la marque Razer. Catégorie  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • krait — Elapid snake of the genus Bungarus, found in northern India, whose bite is associated with generalized anesthetic and paralytic effects, as opposed to local pain, discoloration, or edema; neurotoxic symptoms are similar to those induced by …   Medical dictionary

  • krait — noun Etymology: Hindi & Urdu karait Date: 1874 any of a genus (Bungarus) of brightly banded extremely venomous nocturnal elapid snakes of Pakistan, India, southeastern Asia, and adjacent islands …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • krait — noun /kɹaɪt/ Any of several brightly coloured, venomous snakes, of the genus Bungarus, of southeast Asia …   Wiktionary

  • krait — n. any of a number of highly poisonous snakes belonging to the cobra family (common to southeastern Asia) …   English contemporary dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”