New research conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee suggests that fossils unearthed from Kutch in Gujarat might belong to one of the largest snakes ever to have existed. In an exciting discovery at the Panandhro Lignite Mine, scientists stumbled upon 27 well-preserved bones forming the spinal column of a massive snake. Some connections between these bones were still intact, indicating that they likely belonged to a fully-grown specimen.
The estimated size of this ancient serpent ranges between an impressive 11 to 15 meters, putting it in the league of the extinct Titanoboa, which holds the title for the longest snake known to science. Researchers speculate that due to its immense size, this snake likely operated as a slow-moving ambush predator, reminiscent of the modern anaconda. Their findings have been detailed in the esteemed journal Scientific Reports.
The newly discovered snake species has been dubbed ‘Vasuki Indicus’ (V. Indicus), drawing inspiration from the mythical serpent depicted around the neck of the Hindu deity Shiva and acknowledging its origin in India. V. Indicus belongs to the extinct madtsoiidae family, which had a widespread presence across various regions including Africa, Europe, and now, India, as evidenced by this discovery.
The researchers propose that V. Indicus represents a distinct lineage originating in India during the Eocene epoch, approximately 56 to 34 million years ago. They suggest that this lineage later spread to southern Europe and Africa. Notably, the Eocene period is significant for being the time when the first ancestors and close relatives of modern mammal species began to emerge.
Measurements of the recovered vertebrae, ranging from 38 to 62 millimeters in length and 62 to 111 millimeters in width, hint at V. Indicus possessing a broad, cylindrical body. Based on these measurements, scientists estimate the length of V. Indicus to have been between 10.9 and 15.2 meters.
Despite some uncertainties in the estimates, the researchers assert that V. Indicus rivals the size of Titanoboa, whose fossils were initially unearthed in present-day Colombia in the early 2000s. This discovery sheds new light on the ancient biodiversity of India and underscores the importance of further exploration and research in uncovering its prehistoric past.
