Researchers who analyzed fossilized vertebrae unearthed in a western Indian mine in 2005 have recently identified them as belonging to an enormous prehistoric snake.
Named Vasuki indicus after a legendary snake king in Hindu mythology, this serpent ranged from 36 to 50 feet in length and weighed more than a ton, positioning it among the largest snakes ever to have existed.
The researchers suggest that the region's warm climate and abundant resources 47 million years ago supported the snake's growth to such colossal dimensions.
Discovering The Fossils In A Mine
Newly Discovered Prehistoric Snake In India Was Longer Than A T. Rex And As Heavy As A CarIn 2005, Sunil Bajpai of the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee uncovered backbone fragments from a massive, ancient creature in a western Indian mine.
Initially, Bajpai and his team thought these fragments belonged to a large crocodilian. However, in 2023, after cleaning sediment off the fossilized vertebrae, they realized they were examining the remains of an exceptionally large snake, as Bajpai and his co-author, Debajit Datta, reported to CNN.
The excavation revealed 27 vertebrae, some still interconnected, all from a mature specimen.
The researchers chose the name Vasuki indicus, drawing inspiration from "the mythical snake king Vasuki, who coils around the neck of the Hindu deity Shiva," Datta explained to the Associated Press.
The snake likely spanned 36 to 50 feet in length and weighed up to 2,200 pounds, according to a recent study published in Scientific Reports. However, these figures are estimates since scientists have not recovered a complete skeleton.
Despite uncertainties about its precise dimensions, Vasuki was undeniably a formidable presence that would have instilled fear in many of its prehistoric contemporaries in India.
The Impressive Characteristics Of 'Vasuki Indicus'
Newly Discovered Prehistoric Snake In India Was Longer Than A T. Rex And As Heavy As A CarGiven its enormous size, Vasuki probably wasn't a particularly fast hunter. Researchers suggest that it likely dwelled primarily on land, employing a constricting method to subdue prey, similar to how an anaconda operates, rather than relying on speed or agility.
"Considering its large size, Vasuki was a slow-moving ambush predator that would subdue its prey through constriction," Datta told the Associated Press.
While researchers are still uncertain about the exact diet of Vasuki, they discovered fossils of catfish, turtles, crocodilians, and primitive whales in the same strata, indicating these species could have been among its potential prey.
The combination of a plentiful food supply and the warm climate of prehistoric western India facilitated the growth of the cold-blooded Vasuki indicus to its enormous size.
"[It] thrived during a warm geological interval with average temperatures estimated at 82.4 degrees," the study explained.
"Higher ambient temperatures would have increased the internal body temperature and metabolic rate of Vasuki which in turn would have allowed it to grow so large," Bajpai and Datta explained to CNN.
While Vasuki indicus could potentially surpass the size of Titanoboa—the current record holder for largest prehistoric snake, which reached up to 50 feet in length and weighed around 2,500 pounds in modern-day Colombia—further research is needed to conclusively determine its true dimensions.
