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First Record of Sind Krait, Bungarus Sindanus Boulenger, 1897 (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) from Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kachchh, Gujarat

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First Record of Sind Krait, Bungarus Sindanus Boulenger, 1897 (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) from Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kachchh, Gujarat Rec. zool. Surv. India: Vol. 121(2)/215–218, 2021 ISSN (Online) : 2581-8686 DOI: 10.26515/rzsi/v121/i2/2021/151605 ISSN (Print) : 0375-1511 First record of Sind Krait, Bungarus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) from Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kachchh, Gujarat Sanjeev Kumar1*, Harinder Singh Banyal2 and Indu Sharma1 1Desert Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Jodhpur - 342005, Rajasthan, India; Email: [email protected] 2High Altitude Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Solan - 173211, Himachal Pradesh, India Abstract The Sind Krait, Bungarus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 is recorded for the first time from the Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary during September, 2019. This species was spotted extensively in the sanctuary during the early night hours of the survey on metaled road adjoining the major grassland habitats. Keywords: Halapar Rakhal, Morphometric, Nocturnal, Reptile, Roadkill Introduction Sharma (1982, 2000), Akhtar & Tiwari (1991), Gayan (1999), Vyas (1998, 2004), Kumar & Banyal (2018) and Gujarat, the westernmost state of India, owns Kachchh, Patel & Vyas (2019). The reptilian faunal diversity of the largest district in India, which covers more than 25% Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary has been worked out of the land area of Gujarat State. This district has four by GEER & GUIDE (Anonymous, 2001) and Vyas (2004). significant protected areas that cover 6.58% area of the Vyas (2004) has recorded six species of snakes from the forests of the state (Vyas, 2004). Among the protected sanctuary. But, Bungarus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 was areas of the Kachchh district, Narayan Sarovar Wildlife not known from the Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary Sanctuary (23º27’ N to 23º42′ N and 68º30′ E to 68º57′ E), in Gujarat state until present work was carried out by was notified in April 1981. The sanctuary represents the the authors in 2019. However, Patel & Vyas (2019) has ecological peculiarities of Biotic Province - 3A Kachchh, given an account of Sindh Krait from the Kachchh and of Biogeographic Zone - the Indian Desert (Champion & Saurashtra region of the Gujarat state. Seth, 1968). The faunal diversity of the Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary comprises 27 species of mammals, Material and Methods 183 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians, 29 species of spiders, and 34 species The present study was carried out during September, of butterflies including15 threatened wildlife species 2019. The identification of species was mainly based (Anonymous, 2001). on the morphometric and meristic observations after The reptilian fauna of Kachchh district is well Sharma (1998, 2002, 2003). Photographs in digital format, documented in the literature compared to other parts including video recordings, were made in HD digital of the state. A perusal of literature revealed that reptiles format using Nikon Coolpix – P90 & Nikon D-90 camera. of Kachchh region were studied by Stoliczka (1872), One dead specimen due to roadkill was also examined for McCann (1938), Bhaskar (1978), Himmatsinji (1985), its morphometric characters. * Author for correspondence Article Received on: 30.03.2020 Accepted on: 14.11.2020 First record of Sind Krait, Bungarus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) ... Figure 1. Satellite image depicting point locations from where Sind Kraits were recorded. Results and Discussion Sind krait, a venomous elapid snake, was about 1 m (3 ft) long. Dorsum was with narrow white bands. Head not Bungarus caeruleus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 was regarded distinct from neck with a short snout, small eyes, upper as a subspecies, synonym, or rare mutation of B. caeruleus. lips either yellow or white and pointed tip tail; head The uniqueness of B. sindanus as a distinct species of krait shields were normal; loreal shield was not available; eyes was confirmed and its distinctive morphological feature were moderately large or small, with round pupil; poison of having 17 dorsal scale rows (relatively less, i.e. 15 in B. fangs were fixed, hollow maxillary teeth were followed by caeruleus) leading to its revalidation has been established 2-4 small solid teeth; body scales were smooth in 17 rows. more than three decades ago (Khan, 1984). The Sind krait can be confused with the common krait, Bangarus Distribution: India: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, caeruleus (Schneider, 1801). Sind kraits are nocturnal West Bengal (Jalpaiguri and Midnapur Districts), and often get close to humans (Anonymous, 2020). The Rajasthan and Gujarat. Elsewhere: Bangladesh, Nepal and paper reports for the first time the presence ofBungarus Pakistan (Anonymous, 2020). sindanus Boulenger, 1897, from the Narayan Sarovar Remarks: The roadkill examined was 1.2 m in length Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat. with whitish-yellow bands and body scales smooth in 17 Systematic Account rows. Dorsal scale 19 (21) - 17 (19) - 17. Ventrals 236, Phylum CHORDATA subcaudals 51. The dorsum was coal-black, first bright th Class REPTILIA stripe was present at the level of 14 ventral. Snout- Order SQUAMATA aperture length 1033 mm, tail 136 mm. Family ELAPIDAE The study area (Figure 1) is characterized by scrub Genus Bungarus Daudin, 1803 vegetation. However, due to good monsoonal fall in 2019, Bungarus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 (The Sind krait) most of the sanctuary was lush green with an abundance (Figure 2) of water in most wetlands and the overall moisture level 1897. Bungarus caeruleus sindanus Boulenger, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 11: was quite high during September-October 2019 when 73-4+Pl. Bungarus 2014. Bungarus sindanus: Wallach et al., Snakes of the World: a Catalogue of survey was conducted in the sanctuary area. Living and Extinct Species: 130. sindanus, the Sind Krait was spotted almost throughout Distinguishing characters: The roadkill specimen of the the sanctuary, mainly on the road during night time, 216 Vol 121(2) | 2021 | www.recordsofzsi.com Zoological Survey of India Sanjeev Kumar, Harinder Singh Banyal and Indu Sharma Figure 2. Bungarus sindanus, crossing the metaled road in the NSWL Sanctuary, Gujarat. which confirms that it is a nocturnal creature. The Sind vehicles pass daily only on Koteshwar to Dayapar and Krait was predominantly sighted in Halapar Rakhal area Koteshwar to Baranda road. Hence, it is recommended of the sanctuary (Figure 2). It was also observed in Kaiyari, to strictly regulate vehicular speed in the sanctuary to Sheh, Ghodatad, Hothiay, Ravareshvar and Guhar Rakhal safeguard this gorgeous and very important crawling area of the sanctuary. Nine specimens were sighted in inhabitant of this sanctuary. total throughout the sanctuary. Since this is the first comprehensive attempt to explore Herpetofauna from the Acknowledgements Sanctuary by Zoological Survey of India, which yielded The authors are greatly thankful to the Director, into first time report of said snake from the sanctuary. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, for providing the opportunity and facilities to undertake the present work. Injured and dead specimens of Sind Krait, including Thanks are also due to the Forest Department of Gujarat other herpetofaunal species, were also observed during for the necessary permission to conduct the survey of the survey period in the morning and evening on the Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat. state highway which passes through the sanctuary (approximately 32 km and an average of total >100 References Anonymous. 2001. Ecological status of Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary with a management perspective, Final Report. Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar and Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), Bhuj, p. 1-196. Anonymous. 2020. Bungarus sindanus. In: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index. php?title=Bungarus_sindanus&oldid=975736793. Akhtar, A.S. and Tiwari, J.K. 1991. Extension of range of the Black Cobra Naja naja oxiana. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 88(l): 123. Bhaskar, S. 1978. Notes from the Gulf of Kutch. Hamadryad, 4(l): 3-6. Boulenger, G.A.1897. A new krait from Sind (Bungarus sindanus). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 11: 73-4+Pl. Champion, H.G. and Seth, S.K. 1968. A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India. Government of India, Delhi, p. 404. Gayan, N.C. 1999. A synopsis of the reptiles of Gujarat, western India. Hamadryad, 24(l): 1-22. Himmatsinji. 1985. On the status of Chameleon zeylanicus Laurenti in Kutch. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 82(2): 421-422. Khan, M.S. 1984. Rediscovery and validity of Bungarus sindanus Boulenger. Snake, 16: 43-48. Vol 121(2) | 2021 | www.recordsofzsi.com Zoological Survey of India 217 First record of Sind Krait, Bungarus sindanus Boulenger, 1897 (Reptilia: Squamata: Elapidae) ... Kumar, S. and Banyal, H.S. 2018. Faunal Diversity of Kachchh Biosphere Reserve (Vertebrates). Conservation Area Series, 64: 1-227+, 16 Plates (Publ. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). McCann, C. 1938. The reptiles and amphibia of Kutch. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 40: 425-427. Sharma, R.C. 1982. Taxonomic and ecological studies on the reptiles of Gujarat. Rec. zool. Surv. India, 80: 85-108. Sharma, R.C. 1998. Fauna of India-Reptlia (Testudines and Crocodilia). Vol. I, xvi + 1-196 (Publ. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). Sharma, R.C. 2000. Reptilia. In: Fauna of Gujarat (Parl-I. Vertebrates), State Fauna Series, 8: 243-297 (Publ. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). Sharma, R.C. 2002. The Fauna of India and the adjacent countries - Reptilia (Sauria). Vol. II. 1-430 (Publ. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). Sharma, R.C. 2003. Hand Book - Indian Snakes, p. 1-292 (Publ. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). Stoliczka, F. 1872. Notes on the reptilian and amphibian fauna of Kutchh (Cutch). Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, p. 71-85. Vyas, R. 1998. The reptiles of Gujarat State: updated distribution. Tiger Paper, 25(l): 8-14. Vyas, R. 2004. Preliminary survey of herpetofauna of Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, Gujarat. Zoos’ Print Jour., 17(6):812-814. https://doi. org/10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.17.6.812-4. Patel, H. and Vyas, R. 2019.
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