The vast Kutch region in Gujarat has been a significant site for fossil discoveries in recent years. Last week, another one joined the list. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee recently announced the discovery of fossils belonging to one of the largest snakes ever to exist. These fossils were found in the Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch and date back to the Middle Eocene period, around 47 million years ago. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The newly discovered species is believed to have been as large as the longest snake ever discovered and has been named Vasuki indicus, after the mythical serpent associated with Lord Shiva. This giant predator snake belonged to the Madtsoiidae family, which is now extinct. Vasuki is worshipped on Naga Panchmi and is known as the king of the snakes in Hindu mythology.
The researchers found 27 well-preserved bones that formed the snake's spinal column, with some connections still intact. They believe that the vertebrae were from a fully-grown animal, which could have been anywhere between 10 metres and 15 metres long, or as large as a modern-day school bus. To put this in perspective, the largest living snake today is the reticulated python of Asia, which measures 10 metres (33 feet) in length.
This discovery not only provides scientists with insight into the evolution of snakes but also a deeper understanding of how continents physically shifted over time and how species dispersed across the globe. According to Scientific American, the estimated body length of 11-15 metres makes Vasuki indicus the largest known madtsoiid snake, which thrived during a warm geological interval with average temperatures of around 28 °C. The researchers believe that Vasuki represents a relic lineage that originated in India, based on biogeographic considerations and its inter-relationship with other Indian and North African madtsoiids.
India has various locations where you can discover ancient fossils including dinosaur and tree fossils. The country is home to several fossil parks like the 1,400 million-year-old Sonbhadra Fossil Park in Uttar Pradesh which has petrified trees said to date back to the Proterozoic era. The park has a 2.5 square kilometre area in Kaimur Range, near Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary, and is home to some remarkable algae and stromatolite samples. The place attracts a steady stream of paleontologists and tourists from around the world. Then there is the Ghugwa Fossil Park in Madhya Pradesh which has relics that are up to 65 million years old. In 2022, Jharkhand opened its first fossil park in Rajmahal Hills to preserve the remains of the Jurassic era.
