Gigantic prehistoric snake discovered in India may have been one of the largest ever
Paleontologists in India have identified fossils of a massive prehistoric snake named Vasuki indicus that lived 47 million years ago. Estimates suggest the reptile could have reached lengths of up to 50 feet, making it a rival to the largest known snakes in history.
Why it matters
This discovery provides significant new data on the evolutionary history of reptiles and the environmental conditions of the Middle Eocene period.
A colossal prehistoric snake that lived in India about 47 million years ago may have been one of the largest snakes ever to exist. Known as Vasuki indicus , the ancient reptile could have reached an extraordinary 15.2 meters (50 feet) in length, putting it in the same league as Titanoboa , the enormous extinct snake long regarded as the largest ever discovered.
The remarkable discovery, described in 2024 in the journal Scientific Reports , came from fossils unearthed in Gujarat, western India. Researchers estimate that Vasuki measured between 10.9 and 15.2 meters (36 and 50 feet) long, although its exact size remains uncertain. Its enormous body and unusual evolutionary history offer a glimpse into a time when giant snakes inhabited the warm, tropical landscapes of ancient India.
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