- Vasuki Indicus fossil found in Gujarat dates back around 47 million years
- The snake measured approximately 49 feet, longer than Titanoboa’s 42 feet
- Vasuki Indicus weighed about 1,000 kg, slightly less than Titanoboa’s 1.25 tonnes
The fossil of an ancient serpent, Vasuki Indicus, found along the Kutch coast in the Indian state of Gujarat two decades ago, has offered some never-before-known insights into the evolution of the reptile.
Dating back around 47 million years, the giant snake is believed to have been an incredible 49 feet long, surpassing the enormous Titanoboa.
The giant Titanoboa from Palaeocene Colombia can grow up to 42 feet in length, and was the indisputable longest snake to have ever walked the earth for decades.
Titanoboa is believed to weigh 1.25 tonnes, which is slightly heavier than Vasuki Indicus, which weighs about 1,000 kg.
The ancient remains of Vasuki Indicus were initially discovered in 2005 at the Panandhro Lignite Mine in the Kutch district. They were painstakingly examined and identified over many years.
Researchers found 27 vertebrae that were largely in good condition. The bones were so large that they were initially believed to be those of a gigantic crocodile, demonstrating the remarkable size of this ancient serpent.
Researchers concluded that Vasuki Indicus had a broad, cylindrical body, like big pythons or anacondas of modern age, based on the size of its vertebrae - 38-62 millimetres long and 62-111 millimetres wide.
Vasuki Indicus is thought to have existed during the Middle Eocene, when the Earth's temperature was good enough to permit the evolution of large, cold-blooded reptiles.
Despite the lack of a full skeleton, scientific examination of Vasuki Indicus' vertebrae has produced amazing reconstructions and insights into its existence.
Palaeontologists Debajit Datta and Sunil Bajpai of the Indian Institute of Technology in Roorkee contended that Vasuki Indicus was probably a slow-moving predator that wrapped its body around its victim till it died.
They estimated that it originated in the warm Indian subcontinent and travelled via Europe to Africa between 56 and 34 million years ago. Vasuki Indicus thrived in the now-arid Kutch region's wooded marshes, per Nature.com.
The name of the species reveals an intriguing link between contemporary scientific research and ancient Indian mythology. Vasuki Indicus alludes to the treasured mythical serpent known as Vasuki Naag, which is often portrayed as a celestial adornment around Lord Shiva's neck in Hindu scriptures.
