Sexual dimorphism in banded kraits (Bungarus fasciatus, Elapidae) from Java

Despite their abundance, wide distribution, and deadly venom, Asian kraits (Bungarus) remain poorly studied. We provide data on body sizes and shapes of 63 banded kraits (B. fasciatus) collected for the commercial skin trade from the vicinity of Cirebon, West Java. Adult males averaged 14% longer than adult females in snout–vent length (SVL; 1260 versus 1110 mm), and 56% heavier (620 versus 398 g), had longer tails relative to SVL, and had smaller abdominal fat bodies than did females. Males and females exhibited similar body masses at the same SVL. Larger size in males may be an adaptation to male–male combat, and larger fatbodies in females reflect energy storage prior to vitellogenesis. Because rates of commercial harvest of kraits are low, and often target males, harvesting is unlikely to threaten wild populations of this species. Further data are needed to clarify this possibility.