Habitat and Distribution of Venomous Snakes in Bangladesh Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is typically delivered by injection using hollow or grooved fangs, although some venomous snakes lack well-developed fangs. Common venomous snakes include the families Elapidae, Viperidae, Atractaspididae, and some of the Colubridae.

2. Habitat and Distribution of Venomous
Snakes in Bangladesh
Sajib Biswas
BSc(Hons) Zoology
Jagannath University, Dhaka-1100

3. Venomous snakes are species of the suborder Serpentes that are
capable of producing venom, which they use for killing prey, for
defense, and to assist with digestion of their prey. The venom is
typically delivered by injection using hollow or grooved fangs,
although some venomous snakes lack well-developed fangs.
Common venomous snakes include the families Elapidae,
Viperidae, Atractaspididae, and some of the Colubridae.

5. World wide Serpentes
(snakes):
3,709 Spp.
In Banglade 78 spp.
42 snake spp. are
mildly venomous
31 snake spp.
are venomous
5 snake Spp. are
non-venomous

6. Lapemis curtus
Amphiesma stolata
Macropisthodon plumbicolor
Dendrolaphis tristis
Ahaetulla nasutus
Coelognathus helenus
Boiga ochracea
Boiga multomaculata
Boiga trigonata
Boiga cyanea
Boiga cynodon
Boiga gokool
Enhydris dussimieri
Enhydris sieboldi
Enhydris enhydris
Gerada prevostiana
Fordonia leucobalia
Elachistodon westermanni
Chrysopelea ornata
Coluber mucosus
Coluber nigromarginatus
Lycodon aulicus
Lycodon fasciatus
Oligodon albocinctus
Oligodon cinereus
Oligodon taeniolatus
Oligodon dorsalis
Oligodon arnensis
Oligodon cyclurus
Sibynopis subpunctatus
Sibynopis sagittaricus
Liopeltis calamaria
Xenochrophis CerasogasterAtretium schistosum
Argyrogena fasciolata
Python reticulatus
Python molurus
Acrochordus granulatus
Elaphe radiata
Cerberus rynchops
Eryx conicus
Pareas monticola
Dendrelaphis pictus

7. Habit & Habitats:
Cobras live in humid and arid savannas,
cultivated fields, grasslands and forests.
They are able to climb and swim. Cobras
also live near mountainous outcrops and
bodies of water such as rivers and rice
fields. They make their homes under
rocks, underground or in trees.
Common name: Binocellate / Spectacled cobra
Local name: Khoia gokhra / Naga gokhura
Scientific name: Naja naja
Distribution:
India (except Assam); Pakistan (except
most of Baluchistan); Sri Lanka; Bhutan;
Myanmar; Bangladesh and Nepal.

8. Common name: Monocellate cobra
Local name: Gokhra Shap / Jati shap / Keauthia
Scientific name: Naja kaouthia
Habit & Habitats:
Monocled cobras can adapt to a range of habitats,
from natural to anthropogenically impacted
environments. They prefer Inhabits a wide variety of
habitat in its range. It is found in fields, low scrub
jungle as well as inhabited areas. They are known to
take up residence in termite mounds, brick piles, rat
holes and also inside houses. It is fond of water and is
frequently found in it or within proximity to a water
source.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; India; Lao
People's Democratic Republic; Malaysia (Peninsular
Malaysia); Myanmar; Nepal; Thailand; Viet Nam.

9. Common name: Greater black krait
Local name: Kalo-keutey
Scientific name: Bungarus niger
Habit & Habitats:
This species inhabits a wide variety of habitats
from mangrove swamps to human villages to
montane forest up to elevations of 1,500 metres
(4,900 ft) above sea level on the Himalayan
foothills.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; India; Nepal; Bhutan.

10. Common name: Common krait
Local name: Kal-keutey
Scientific name: Bungarus caeruleus
Habit & Habitats:
Inhabits a wide variety of habitat in its range. It is
found in fields, low scrub jungle as well as
inhabited areas. They are known to take up
residence in termite mounds, brick piles, rat holes
and also inside houses. It is fond of water and is
frequently found in it or within proximity to a
water source.
Distribution:
Afghanistan; Pakistan; India; Sri Lanka;
Bangladesh; Nepal.

11. Common name: Wallae’s krait
Local name: Wally keutey
Scientific name: Bungarus walli
Distribution:
Afghanistan; Pakistan; India; Sri Lanka;
Bangladesh; Nepal.
Habit & Habitats:
Mainly reported from low to moderate elevation
(up to at least 200 m elevation) forested hills and
moist brushy forest margins. Probably very
similar to other closely related species.

12. Common name: Lesser black krait
Local name: Choto kalo-keutey
Scientific name: Bungarus lividus
Distribution:
India, Bangladesh, Nepal.
Habit & Habitats:
Found mostly in open areas near forests and rice
fields, sometimes up to 1,000 m elevation. May come
up near human homes.

13. Common
name:
Banded krait
Local
name:
Shankhini shap / Shakini shap /
Shankhamoti shap
Scientific
name:
Bungarus fasciatus
Habit & Habitats:
These snakes are most common in meadow and
cultivated areas, often adjacent to streams, rivers
and lakes. They prefer dry open country and
forested lowlands, but are also found in
mangroves and seashore habitats. They seem to
be rare locally.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Burma
(Myanmar); Cambodia; S China (incl. Hong
Kong, Hainan); NE India (Assam, West Bengal,
Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal

14. Common name: Slender coral snake
Local name: Pathor shap / Sharu prabal shap
Scientific name: Callophis melanurus
Habit & Habitats:
Found in a variety of habitats including
wooded areas, under leaves, brick and rubble
piles, swamps, palmetto, scrub areas and
sandy patches. Coral snakes often venture
into residential locations.
Distribution:
India (Maharashtra); Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

15. Common name: MacClelland's Coral Snake
Local name: MacCleland-er prabal shap
Scientific name: Calliophis macclelellandi
Habit & Habitats:
Calliophis macclelellandi inhabits forest and
occasionally grassland, in both hilly and
mountainous areas. Sometimes found in
catchwaters or crossing roads at night. Probably
spends much time in loose soil and forest leaf
litter during the day.
Distribution:
India, Nepal; Thailand; Vietnam; N Myanmar (=
Burma); China (incl. Hong Kong, Hainan, north
to Gansu and Shaanxi); Japan (Ryukyu Islands);
Taiwan and Bangladesh (At present not enough
data is available to support the existence of this
snake in Bangladesh. It may have been extinct from
Bangladesh).

16. Common name: King cobra
Local name:
Padmagokhra / Rajgokhra /
Shankha-choor
Scientific name: Ophiophagus hannah
Venom presence: Venomous
Habit & Habitats:
King cobras are generally found in dense or open
rainforests, as well as mangrove swamps, bamboo
thickets, savannas, and even around human
settlements. They are excellent swimmers, often being
found near streams, and are avid tree climbers. They
are also found in mountainous regions. They hunt
during the day and the night.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia;
China; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Lao People's
Democratic Republic; Malaysia; Myanmar; Nepal;
Philippines; Singapore; Thailand and Viet Nam.

17. Common name: Banded sea snake
Local name: Kalo-halud banded lathi shap
Scientific name: Hydrophis fasciatus
Habitats:
This species is found in shallow water where the
bottom is sandy or rocky.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; Cambodia; India; Malaysia;
Myanmar; Thailand and Viet Nam.

18. Common
name:
Cantor's small-headed sea
snake
Local
name:
Cantor-er sharu matha
samudrik shap
Scientific
name:
Hydrophis cantoris
Common name: Collared sea snake
Local name: Shamudrik shap
Scientific name:
Hydrophis
stricticollis
Distribution:
Bangladesh; India; Myanmar and Sri
Lanka.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; China; Hong Kong; India;
Indonesia (Sumatera); Lao People's
Democratic Republic; Malaysia;
Myanmar; Nepal; Taiwan, Province of
China; Thailand and Viet Nam.
Habit & Habitats:
Habitat preference of this snake is little
known. It spends most of its time in
near-shore areas but may venture up to
50 km in the open sea or into rivers. It is
also occur over soft muddy bottoms in
turbid waters.
Habit & Habitats:
Found in shallow coastal waters over
soft bottom substrates. Has very similar
habitat to Hydrophis gracilis. Found
mainly near bottom or among rocks or
pilings.

19. Common
name:
Ornate reef sea snake / Ornate sea
snake / Gray's sea snake
Local name: Banded shamudrik shap
Scientific
name:
Hydrophis ornatus
Habit & Habitats:
This is one of the most wide-ranging species of sea
snakes. Found mainly in shallow to moderately deep
(deeper than 30 m) marine waters and coral reefs near
the shores and estuaries.
Distribution:
Bahrain; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Hong Kong;
India (Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.); Indonesia; Iran; Iraq;
Japan; Kuwait; Malaysia; Myanmar; New Caledonia;
Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Philippines;
Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Taiwan;
Province of China; Thailand; United Arab Emirates;
Vietnam.

20. Common
name:
Green Pit viper/ White-lipped pitviper
Local name: Sabuj bora
Scientific
name:
Trimeresurus albolabris
Distribution:
Cambodia; China; Hong Kong; Indonesia;Lao People's
Democratic Republic; Macao; Malaysia (Peninsular
Malaysia); Myanmar; Thailand; Viet Nam and
Bangladesh (At present not enough data is available to
support the existence of this snake in Bangladesh. It may
have been extinct from Bangladesh).
Habit & Habitats:
This species found mainly in open tropical forests or
bamboo thickets, cultivated land, at low elevations.
Often found around human settlements and in gardens.
It is known to remain abundant in highly degraded and
altered habitats.

21. Common name:
Bamboo pit viper/ Common
bamboo viper/ Green bamboo
pitviper.
Local name: Bansh bora
Scientific name: Trimeresurus gramineus
Habit & Habitats:
This species inhabits hilly forested areas. But
mainly found in bamboo thickets, vine tangles and
dense foliage adjacent to streams or other water
sources, usually from near sea level to about 400 m
elevation. Often comes up around human
habitations and agricultural areas.
Distribution:
India; Burma; Bangladesh; Malaya; Thailand; Laos;
Cambodia; Vietnam; China; Indonesia and
Formosa.

22. Common name:
Red-tailed bamboo pitviper /
Spot-tailed pit viper
Local name: Tila-leji sabuj bora
Scientific name: Trimeresurus erythrurus
Distribution:
India (Assam, Sikkim); Bangladesh; Myanmar
(= Burma); Thailand.
Habitats:
This species inhabits in lowlands, low hills,
orchards and plantations.

23. Habitats:
This snakes most often found in low bushes or
shrubs in hilly and mountainous country from 900
- 1,500+ m elevation. But they are common on tea
plantations.
Common name:
Pope's tree viper/ Pope's
bamboo pitviper
Local name: Pope-er sabuj bora
Scientific name: Trimeresurus popeorum
Distribution:
India; Myanmar (= Burma); Thailand; Laos;
Malaysia and Bangladesh (At present not enough
data is available to support the existence of this
snake in Bangladesh. It may have been extinct
from Bangladesh).

24. Common name: Russell's viper
Local name: Chandro-bora
Scientific name: Daboia russelii
Distribution:
Pakistan; India (Punjab Himachal Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Northern
Bengal); Sri Lanka (elevation up to 1500 m) and
Bangladesh.
Habitats:
Russell Vipers inhabit in scrubs, bushes, rocks,
agricultural lands, grass lands, dense vegetation,
dry leaves, wood piles etc. They are found in
termite mounds and rat holes in very hot weather.
Sometimes also occur in the margins of fields or
paths, up to 2,000 m elevation.

25. Common
name:
Mountain pitviper / Mountain
viper/ Blotched pit viper
Local name: Pahari bora
Scientific
name:
Ovophis monticola
Distribution:
Bangladesh; China; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia
(Sumatera); Lao People's Democratic Republic;
Malaysia; Myanmar; Nepal; Taiwan, Province of
China; Thailand and Viet Nam.
Habitats:
This nocturnal species inhabits a variety of
environments including forests, shrublands and
grasslands, tea fields, cultivated areas and among
vegetation, but it prefers mountainous rocky
areas, in which can take refuge. It often founds
near human habitation and sometimes inside
homes.

26. Common
name:
Jerdonae’s pitviper / Red spotted
pitviper / Bourret's pitviper
Local name: Jerdon bora
Scientific
name:
Protobothrops jerdoni
Habitats:
This snakes mainly found in montane forests,
scrubland, stony banks of streams with cascades and
waterfalls.
Distribution:
Bhutan; China; India; Myanmar; Nepal; Viet Nam
and Bangladesh (At present not enough data is
available to support the existence of this snake in
Bangladesh. It may have been extinct from
Bangladesh).

27. Common
name:
Common / blue-lipped sea
krait
Local name: Baloyjukto uvochor shap
Scientific
name:
Laticauda laticaudata
Habitats:
Laticauda laticaudata inhabits coral reefs
and rocky areas along the sea coast.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Fiji; India
(Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.); Indonesia;
Japan; Malaysia; Myanmar; New Caledonia;
Palau; Papua New Guinea; Philippines;
Singapore; Solomon Islands; Sri Lanka;
Taiwan, Province of China; Thailand; Tonga;
Tuvalu; Vanuatu; Viet Nam; Wallis and
Futuna.

28. Common name: Yellow-lipped sea snake
Local name: Colubrine uvochor shap
Scientific name: Laticauda colubrina
Habitats:
Laticauda colubrina is found in a wide range of
habitats, including coral islands, coral reefs,
mangroves, and in the open ocean.
Distribution:
American Samoa (American Samoa); Cambodia;
China; Fiji; India (Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.);
Bangladesh; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; Micronesia,
Federated States of; Myanmar; Niue; Palau; Papua
New Guinea; Philippines; Samoa; Singapore; Solomon
Islands; Sri Lanka; Taiwan, Province of China;
Thailand; Tonga; Vanuatu; Vietnam.

29. Common name: Yellow-bellied sea snake
Local name: Kalo-halud samudrik shap
Scientific name: Pelamis platuru
Habitats:
It spends long hours on the surface and is active in
water when its temperature is above 25 degree
centigrade. It inhabits coastal waters.
Distribution:
American Samoa (American Samoa); Australia;
Bahrain; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Christmas
Island; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Colombia; Costa
Rica;

30. Common name:
Large-headed / Stokesae sea
snake
Local name: Barto-matha samudrik shap
Scientific name: Astrotia stokesii
Habitats:
This species lives in a number of habitat types.
Usually found in deep (usually found at >100 cm
deep), open marine water, especially where there is
turbidity or silting. May also occur in coastal waters
of additional nearby countries or islands, but
specimens not yet documented from them.
Distribution:
Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; Indonesia; Iran,
Islamic Republic of; Japan; Malaysia; Myanmar;
New Caledonia; Oman; Pakistan; Papua New
Guinea; Philippines; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Taiwan,
Province of China; Thailand; United Arab Emirates;
Viet Nam.

31. Common name:
Malacca sea snake / Blue
sea snake / Many-toothed
sea snake/ Dwarf sea snake
Local name: Malaca samudrik shap
Scientific name: Hydrophis caerulescens
Habitats:
Usually found in near-shore shallow water, near
bottom among rock crevices, coral boulders or
pilings.
Distribution:
Australia (Queensland); New Caledonia/Loyalty
Islands; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; India;
Indonesia; Malaysia; Myanmar; Pakistan;
Singapore; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Viet Nam.

32. Common name: Annulated sea snake
Local name: Kalo-halud banded lathi shap
Scientific name: Hydrophis cyanocinctus
Habitats:
Found in shallow near-shore marine waters
throughout the Persian Gulf and northern Indian
Ocean. One of the most common sea snakes in these
regions. Sometimes may be found in mouths of
freshwater streams and sometimes comes out onto
land near the water.
Distribution:
Australia; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China;
India (Andaman Is., Nicobar Is.); Indonesia; Iran,
Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Kuwait; Malaysia;
Myanmar;

33. References:
 Hasan, Md & Khan, M. & Feeroz, Mohammed. (2014). Amphibians and
Reptiles of Bangladesh - A Field Guide.
 Khan, M.A.R. 2004. Checklist of the herpetofauna of Bangladesh. Cobra 57:
1– 31.
 IUCN Bangladesh. 2000. Red Book of Threatened Amphibians and Reptiles of
 Bangladesh. IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
 https://www.wildscreen.org/arkive-closure/
 http://reptile-database.org/
 https://www.google.com/
 http://www.snakebd.com/index.php

34. Thank You