Ancient 15-meter-long snake Vasuki indicus described in India — ScienceDaily
In the state of Gujarat in western India, paleontologists have described the remains of the giant prehistoric snake Vasuki indicus, which lived approximately 47 million years ago. According to researchers' estimates, it may have been between 10.9 and 15.2 meters long, making it one of the largest known snakes in history. ScienceDaily reports.
27 vertebrae from Gujarat
The species was identified by paleontologists Debajit Datta and Sunil Bajpai from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. The fossils were found at the Panandhro lignite mine in the Kutch district. They date to the Middle Eocene, a period when Earth's climate was considerably warmer than it is today.
The scientists examined 27 fossilized vertebrae. Some of them were well preserved, while several bones remained connected in their original position. The vertebrae measured from 37.5 to 62.7 millimeters in length and from 62.4 to 111.4 millimeters in width. Their shape indicates that the snake had a massive cylindrical body.
Since the scientists did not find a complete skeleton, they calculated the animal's length by comparing its vertebrae with those of modern snakes of known length. One method produced an estimate of 10.9–12.2 meters, while another gave 14.5–15.2 meters. The researchers emphasize that such calculations have a substantial margin of error.
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A possible ambush predator
In size, Vasuki indicus may have matched Titanoboa, a giant extinct snake that lived in what is now Colombia about 60 million years ago and is estimated to have reached approximately 13 meters in length. However, it is not yet possible to establish with certainty whether the Indian snake was longer than Titanoboa.
The structure of the vertebrae and the large body size suggest that Vasuki probably moved slowly and hunted from ambush rather than pursuing prey. Its hunting method may have resembled the behavior of modern anacondas and large pythons, which kill their victims by constriction. At the same time, the snake's exact diet and behavior cannot be determined from the available remains.
The species was named Vasuki indicus in honor of Vasuki, a mythical serpent associated with the Hindu deity Shiva. The animal belonged to the extinct family Madtsoiidae, whose representatives lived in India, Africa, Europe, South America, and Australia. The warm tropical climate of Eocene Gujarat, where the average temperature is estimated at around 28 degrees Celsius, may have supported the existence of large reptiles.
