Unearthed: 50ft Titanoboa Snake Fossil Found in India
SCIENTISTS have discovered the remains of the world’s biggest snake that lurked in swamps 47 million years ago.
Giant Snake Fossil Found in Indian Coal Mine
Fossilised remains of the ancient snake species dubbed Vasuki Indicus show the beast was terrifyingly even bigger than a T-Rex coming in at a whopping 50ft.
The Excavation: Giant Snake Fossil Uncovered
The super smart team of Debajit Datta and Sunil Bajpai found the vertebrae of the giant snake in an old coal mine in Gujrat, India. In the end, 27 relatively well preserved vertebrae was found still connected.
The Mega Beast: Unveiling Vasuki Indicus
Each one was roughly two and a half inches long and four inches wide. Meaning the length of the mega beast could’ve reached 50ft.
Indian Mythology and Vasuki Indicus
Experts claim the snake is likely to have belonged to the Madtsoiidae species that lived across the southern Hemisphere millions of years ago. The interesting name of Vasuki Indicus was given to the snake by the two founders who took inspiration from a popular Indian legend.
Mega Snake’s Habitat: Swamps and Predatory Behavior
In Hindu folklore, Vasuki is a serpent king who possesses immense powers and strength. He is most commonly seen hanging around the neck of Shiva, one of the major gods in Indian folklore. Debajit Datta said: “The name is very symbolic. Vasuki is our king. And this here, much like him, is an exceptionally large snake.”
Comparisons and Evolution: Vasuki Indicus
Scientists have claimed due to the mammoth size it was most likely a chilling predator that slowly slid along the earth preying on its enemies. It would have hunted in similar ways to a feared anaconda.
Parallel Evolution: Vasuki Indicus and Titanoboa
Jesus Rivas, a New Mexico Highlands University biology professor said the snake could have evolved into living in swamps because of how big it was. He said: “In order to breathe, the snake would’ve needed to lift its rib cage, requiring a very big muscular effort to fight gravity. But with its body in the water, breathing was probably easier. And that’s why many large snakes today, like anacondas, are aquatic.”
Surpassing Titanoboa: Extinct Mega Snakes
Vasuki Indicus has even been compared to the extinct Titanoboa – the largest confirmed snake known to man. Despite not existing for the past 60 million years, scientists do know it sized up at a total length of around 40ft and weighed a staggering 1,135kg. The remains of Titanoboa were also found in a coal mine site in the depths of a Colombian rain forest similar to Vasuki Indicus.
Current Big Contender: Largest Living Snake
Although the biggest snake still living today is a 200kg beast coming in at 26ft long, and with a head the size of a humans. This Northern Green Anaconda was found by TV wildlife presenter Professor Freek Vonk in remote Brazil. The colossal snake is far bigger than the previous biggest known species – the reticulated python, which averages 20ft 5ins long.