Giant Eocene Snake Named Vasuki indicus Unearthed in Western India

A team from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee described a new giant snake species, Vasuki indicus, based on fossils dated to the Middle Eocene, about 47 million years ago, from the Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch, Gujarat. The 27 vertebrae, some still linked in their original order, indicate a fully grown animal that could have measured between 10.9 and 15.2 meters in length, comparable to the famed Titanoboa.

The unusually wide vertebrae point to a massive, cylindrical body, suggesting the snake moved slowly and relied on ambush tactics akin to today’s anacondas. Warm average temperatures of roughly 28 °C during that era may have supported such gigantism, though food availability and habitat also played roles. Vasuki is part of the extinct madtsoiid family, which once spanned India, Africa, Europe, South America and Australia, indicating a broader dispersal of giant snakes before the Indian subcontinent collided with Asia. Ongoing research in the same region continues to uncover a diverse assemblage of ancient snakes, enriching our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems.