Present review of diet of Banded Krait Bungarus fasciatus (Schneider, 1801) shows that besides its partiality to ophidian diet of both venomous and non-venomous species including fellow Kraits and eggs of snakes, its diet consists of ‘Small Mammals’,‘Rodents’, Rats, Chicken eggs, ‘Lizards’, Skinks (specifically Eutropis multifasciata, ‘Amphibians’, Frogs, Toads, and Fish. Reports of 25 species of prey snakes under 7 families, viz. Colubridae (12 sp.), Cylindrophiidae (1 sp.), Elapidae (5 sp.), Homalopsidae. (1 sp.), Pythonidae (2 sp. including one unconfirmed sp.), Viperidae (3 sp.) and Xenopeltidae (1 sp.) as food items are described. Banded Kraits scavenging for carcass/carrion of 4 species of snake and the diet of captive breeding individuals are also discussed. Photographic documentation of a very rare case of Banded Krait preying on a Copper-headed Trinket Snake Coelognathus radiatus (Boie, 1827) in Dibrugarh, Assam (India) is also reported

Bungarus fasciatus, diet, review, preying, Coelognathus radiatus

Banded Kraits are mainly snake eaters. Different groups of snakes and snake items as diet of Banded Krait include Cat Snakes, Cylindrophis, Enhydrisis, Grass Snake, Homalopsis, Python, Rat Snake, Vine Snake, Tree Snake, Water Snake, Xenochrophis, some unidentified snakes and snake eggs. There are records of 24 species of snakes including an unconfirmed species in the diet list of Banded Krait under 7 families, viz., Colubridae (12 sp.), Cylindrophiidae (1 sp.), Elapidae (4 sp.), Homalopsidae. (1 sp.), Pythonidae (2sp. including one unconfirmed species), Viperidae (3sp.) and Xenopeltidae (1 sp.) besides three unidentified species. Carcass/carrion of at least four species of snake viz. Fowlea piscator, Enhydris enhydris, Cylindrophis ruffus and Trimeresurus cardamomensis are there in the diet list of Banded Krait. The non ophidian food items of Banded Krait include ‘small mammals’, Rats, Mice, Chicken eggs, ‘Lizards’, Skinks, ‘Amphibians’, Frogs, Toads, and Fishes. Some ophidian and other items are served as food to captive Banded Kraits. Banded Kraits (Bungarus fasciatus) predating a Copper-headed Trinket Snake (Coelognathus radiatus) is a very rare phenomenon with just a single mention in available literature (Husain, 2020). The present report of Banded Krait predating a Copper-headed Trinket Snake may be the 1st photographic and videographic documentation of this very rare phenomenon

Tikendrajit Gogoi (2025). Banded Krait Bungarus fasciatus (Schneider, 1801) Diet- a Review, with a Case Study of a Banded Krait preying on Copper-headed Trinket Snake Coelognathus radiatus (Boie, 1827) in Dibrugarh, Assam (India). Biological Forum, 17(7): 22-28