Colossal prehistoric snake discovered in India

The extinct snake may have been one of the largest to have ever lived, dwarfing present-day anacondas and pythons that can grow to about 6 meters (20 feet)..

It wasnt until the researchers removed sediment from the fossils during the studys initial stage in 2023 that they realized they were looking at the remains of an exceptionally large snake, the authors said.. . . The vertebrae appeared to belong to a fully grown animal, the study said.. ..

There are a number of possible reasons for its large size which range from favourable environment with ample food resources to lack of natural predators, coauthors Debajit Datta, a postdoctoral fellow, and Sunil Bajpai, a professor of paleontology, said in a joint email.. ..

Based on the size of the preserved vertebrae, the researchers estimated that the snake would have been 10.9 meters (36 feet) to 15.2 meters (50 feet) in length, based on two different calculation methods, with a broad and cylindrical body.. . Debajit and Bajpai said they believe it lived on land rather than water, like an anaconda, but it was unlikely to have hung out in trees due to its size...

So, higher ambient temperatures would have increased the internal body temperature and metabolic rate of Vasuki which in turn would have allowed it to grow so large.. . . The team was able to infer, based on information on the size and metabolism of living snakes and current temperatures, that Vasuki lived in a warm, tropical climate, with a mean annual temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit).. . Datta and Bajpai said the snake lived in a coastal marsh and swamp.. ..

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