Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee discovered fossilized remnants of what they believe to be a giant madtsoiid snake of the early-middle Eocene epoch, approximately 50 million years ago. They made their discovery while fossil hunting at the Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch, Western India–finding an excellently preserved, partial vertebral column of the giant Eocene snake.
“We report the discovery of a giant madtsoiid snake, one of largest snakes ever reported, from an interval corresponding to a warm Middle Eocene period (~47 million years ago) of India,” write the authors in a recent paper published in Scientific Reports. “The estimated body length of 11–15 meters makes this new taxon (Vasuki indicus) the largest known madtsoiid snake, which thrived during a warm geological interval with average temperatures estimated at 28 °C.”
The authors can only speculate about the giant snake’s characteristics and disposition, but they believe Vasuki indicus to be the largest known snake in the extinct madtsoiid family. Given the shape of its vertebral column, they don’t believe the snake was water-dwelling. And, given its sheer size, it’s unlikely that it was arboreal either.
“Similarity in vertebral morphology with extant large-bodied pythonids (e.g., Python and Malayopython) suggests a terrestrial/semi-aquatic paleohabitat for Vasuki,” hypothesize the authors. “Corroborative evidence comes from the depositional environment of the Vasuki-yielding horizon, which was reconstructed as a back swamp marsh, similar to the habitat of modern large pythonids.”
The authors posit that Vasuki indicus was a slow-moving, ambush predator that would subdue its prey through constriction, similar to present-day anacondas and large pythons.
Whether this is the biggest fossilized snake ever discovered is a matter of debate. The only clear rival to Vasuki indicus are the remains of a 60 million year old Titanaboa (Titanoboa cerrejonensis), discovered in northeastern Columbia and documented in a 2009 paper published in Nature.
“It is worth noting that the largest body-length estimates of Vasuki appear to exceed that of Titanoboa, even though the vertebral dimensions of the Indian taxon are slightly smaller than those of Titanoboa,” state the authors. “We acknowledge that this observation may be a reflection of the different datasets used to formulate the predictive equations.”
Here’s a bit more about what is known about these two ancient and massive snake groups.
Titanoboa
Titanoboa, a genus within the family Boidae, stands out as one of the most remarkable and largest snakes ever discovered. Fossils of Titanoboa cerrejonensis, estimated to have lived around 58-60 million years ago in Colombia, indicate a colossal serpent that likely exceeded 40 feet in length and weighed over a ton. This ancient giant inhabited the warm, tropical environment of what is now northern Colombia, thriving in lush rainforests of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. As a top predator of its time, Titanoboa would have preyed upon a variety of large vertebrates, employing its powerful constricting abilities akin to modern boa constrictors.
Madtsoiid snakes
The Madtsoiidae is a family of extinct snakes that lived from the Cretaceous period through the Cenozoic era. These snakes were typically large, with some species reaching several meters in length, and they likely functioned as constrictors akin to modern boas and pythons. Fossils of madtsoiid snakes have been unearthed on various continents, indicating a broad geographical distribution during their existence. Carnivorous predators, madtsoiids preyed on a variety of animals, including small dinosaurs, mammals, and other reptiles. Taxonomy within the Madtsoiidae family, encompassing genera like Madtsoia, Wonambi, and Sanajeh, is subject to ongoing research and revision as new fossils are discovered. Madtsoiids became extinct millions of years ago, likely during the late Cenozoic era, possibly due to factors such as climate change, habitat loss and competition with other predators.
