''Bungarus slowinskii'', the Red River krait, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

venomous snake 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 g ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Elapidae Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids ; grc, ἔλλοψ ''éllops'' "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs at the front of the mouth. Most elapids are venomous, with the exception of the genus Emydoce ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to mainland Southeast Asia

Taxonomy

Ulrich Kuch and colleagues described the species in 2005. The specific name, ''slowinskii'', honors

Joseph Bruno Slowinski Joseph Bruno Slowinski (November 15, 1962 – September 11, 2001) was an American herpetologist who worked extensively with elapid snakes. Research and career Slowinski was born on November 15, 1962 in New York City, New York. He attained his bac ...

, an American herpetologist who died from a krait bite at age 38.

Description

''B. slowinskii'' has a color pattern of alternating wide black rings and narrow white rings on its body and tail. The

dorsal scales In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down t ...

are arranged in 15 rows at midbody. The dorsal scales in the vertebral row are enlarged and hexagonal. The subcaudal scales are divided.

Distribution and habitat

''B. slowinskii'' is currently known from

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, northeastern

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

, and Laos. The preferred natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

of ''B. slowinskii'' is

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

, at altitudes of .

Reproduction

''B. slowinskii'' is oviparous.

Taxonomy

Description

Distribution and habitat

Reproduction

References

Further reading