Fossil vertebrae unearthed in a mine in western India are the stays of one of many largest snakes that ever lived, a monster estimated at as much as 15 metres in size – longer than a T rex.
Scientists have recovered 27 vertebrae from the snake, together with just a few nonetheless in the identical place as they’d have been when the reptile was alive. They mentioned the snake, which they named Vasuki indicus, would have appeared like a big python and wouldn’t have been venomous.
The lignite mine the place the fossil was discovered is positioned in Panandhro, within the western state of Gujarat.
“Contemplating its giant measurement, Vasuki was a slow-moving ambush predator that might subdue its prey by constriction like anacondas and pythons. This snake lived in a marshy swamp close to the coast at a time when international temperatures have been increased than at this time,” mentioned Debajit Datta, a postdoctoral researcher in palaeontology on the Indian Institute of Expertise Roorkee and the lead writer of the research, revealed within the journal Scientific Experiences on Thursday.
Due to the unfinished nature of the Vasuki stays, the researchers gave an estimated size vary of 11-15 metres and 1 tonne in weight.
Vasuki, named after the snake king related to the Hindu deity Shiva, rivals in measurement one other large prehistoric snake known as Titanoboa, whose fossils have been found in a coalmine in northern Colombia in 2009. Titanoboa, estimated at 13 metres lengthy and greater than 1 tonne, lived between 58m and 60m years in the past. The biggest residing snake at this time is Asia’s reticulated python at 10 metres.
“The estimated physique size of Vasuki is corresponding to that of Titanoboa, though the vertebrae of Titanoboa are barely bigger than these of Vasuki. Nonetheless, at this level, we can not say if Vasuki was extra large or slender in comparison with Titanoboa,” mentioned Sunil Bajpai, a palaeontologist, professor at Roorkee and the research’s co-author.
These large snakes lived through the Cenozoic period, which started after the dinosaur age ended 66m years in the past.
The largest Vasuki vertebra was about 11cm (4in) extensive. Vasuki seems to have had a broad, cylindrical physique maybe round 44cm extensive. The cranium was not discovered.
“Vasuki was an impressive animal,” Datta mentioned. “It might properly have been a mild big, resting its head on a excessive porch fashioned by coiling its large physique for many components of the day or shifting sluggishly by the swamp like an countless practice.”
The researchers are uncertain what prey Vasuki ate, however contemplating its measurement it might have included crocodilians. Different fossils discovered within the space included crocodilians and turtles, in addition to fish and two primitive whales, Kutchicetus and Andrewsiphius.
Vasuki was a member of the madtsoiidae snake household that appeared roughly 90m years in the past however went extinct about 12,000 years in the past. These snakes unfold from India by southern Eurasia and into north Africa after the Indian subcontinent collided with Eurasia about 50m years in the past, Bajpai mentioned.
This was a dominant snake household through the dinosaur age’s late phases and into the early Cenozoic earlier than its variety dropped, he added.
“Snakes are wonderful creatures that always depart us shocked due to their measurement, agility and deadliness,” Datta mentioned. “Persons are fearful of them as some snakes are venomous and have a deadly chew. However snakes maybe assault individuals out of concern slightly than with an intent to assault. I consider snakes, like most animals, are peaceable creatures, and an necessary part of our ecosystem.”
