Indian paleontologists have discovered 27 large vertebrae of an ancient snake from the early Eocene period, attributed to a new species. According to researchers, this is the largest representative of the Madtsoiidae family, whose length can reach 15 meters. It took its name from an Indian god.

The early evolution of snakes during (and especially before) the Cretaceous is not fully understood due to the lack of fossil finds. Gondwana snakes from the family are an exception madtsoiidaewho lived during the late Cretaceous period. Its remains have been found in Madagascar, South America, Australia, India and other regions.

Recently, two paleontologists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, found fossilized fragments of the spine of a giant snake belonging to the family. madtsoiidaeIt is a period of extinction of the Early Eocene (Eocene is a period that began 56 million years ago and ended 33.9 million years ago). Experts estimated the length of the ancient reptile to be 10-15 meters. According to them, the biggest representative is now madtsoiidae. Publication of an annotated scientific study in a journal Scientific Reports.

The found reptile was assigned to a new species and given a name, based on many individual characteristics. vasuki indicus – in honor of the legendary Hindu snake traditionally depicted on the neck of the god Shiva. Twenty-seven large (37.5-62.7 millimeters long and 62.4-111.4 millimeters wide) and well-preserved vertebrae were recovered from a lignite mine in Kutch, Gujarat, India. Paleontologists hypothesized that there were 22 segments of the snake’s posterior body, and based on the closed sutures of the spine, the discovered individual had probably reached skeletal maturity.

The authors double-checked the found snake’s position in the taxonomic tree, a descendant of ancient Gondwana snakes. In the second analysis, they excluded consanguinity. snakes ordinary snakes and determined Vasuki in a separate treasury Gigantophis garstini Late Eocene and Madtsoia pisdurensis From the Late Cretaceous. Paleontologists estimated the size of the body of the find based on two models showing the possible length. Vasuki 10.9-12.2 meters and 14.5-15.2 meters. The difference was explained by the absence of posterior vertebrae. For the same reasons, phylogenetic estimates should be approached with caution.

According to the size of the spine Vasuki It is inferior to Titanoboa, which lived in South America only 60 million years ago and could weigh up to 1135 kilograms. Paleoecological reconstruction showed that the new snake most likely had a large cylindrical body. According to paleontologists, the rough similarity of their spinal structure to modern pythons indicates their terrestrial/semi-aquatic lifestyle. Especially due to the deposits in their location VasukiIt was probably a swamp.

Researchers also determined the approximate body temperature of ancient reptiles. The authors compared this to the fact that in the middle of the Eocene, about 47 million years ago, air temperatures in this part of the world were just above 30°C and snakes were cold-blooded. Vasuki Using a modern python, he calculated the paleotemperature (28°C) at which such a large snake could comfortably live. Experts assumed that the discovered reptile as a species originated in the Indian subcontinent and later spread to Africa and Eurasia during the Eocene period.