Palaeontologists in India have made a exceptional discovery, uncovering the fossilized stays of a formidable creature from historical occasions — a colossal predator snake estimated to rival the scale of the longest snake ever recorded. These fossilized stays, stretching between 10 to fifteen meters in size, had been unearthed in Gujarat’s Panandhro Lignite Mine situated in Kutch. Remarkably, these fossils date again an astonishing 47 million years, shedding mild on a distant period of Earth’s historical past. The big serpent has been scientifically named Vasuki Indicus, a reference to the snake in Hindu mythology named Nag Vasuki.
The findings by researchers on the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee had been printed within the journal Scientific Reports. Debajit Datta, a postdoctoral fellow on the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) and co-author of a research known as the naming of the species very symbolic as a equally described serpent in historical scriptures has been worshipped by the identify Vasuki since time immemorial. Professor Sunil Bajpai and Debajit Datta, each from IIT Roorkee, made the numerous discovery on the Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch. They stumbled upon 27 items of a “partial, well-preserved” vertebral column belonging to the snake.
The researchers suggest that Vasuki indicus could have rivaled the famend Titanoboa in dimension. During the reptile’s existence, Earth’s geography differed considerably from its present state. Africa, India, and South America had been joined collectively as a single landmass. Vasuki Indicus is believed to have possessed a broad and cylindrical physique, indicating a sturdy and highly effective build
This monstrous snake is believed to have been one of many largest predators recognized through the interval spanning from the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years in the past to the emergence of Megalodon roughly 23 million years in the past. However, the authors of the research acknowledge the uncertainties surrounding their dimension estimates for Vasuki indices. They additionally speculate on the behaviour of Vasuki, suggesting that it could have been too massive to actively hunt and as an alternative could have behaved equally to trendy anacondas and huge pythonids, ambushing and overpowering its prey.
“This discovery is critical not just for understanding the traditional ecosystems of India but in addition for unravelling the evolutionary historical past of snakes on the Indian subcontinent. It underscores the significance of preserving our pure historical past and highlights the position of analysis in unveiling the mysteries of our previous,” Dr. Bajpai, mentioned in a press release.
first printed: April 20, 2024, 17:20 IST
