• Vasuki indicus, estimated 11-15 meters long, was discovered in a lignite mine in India.
  • Fossilized vertebrae 47 million years old belong to an adult with a wide, cylindrical body.
  • The snake is named after Vasuki, the serpent king from Hindu mythology.
  • Scientists believe it used an ambush tactic, similar to modern anacondas.
  • The discovery fills a gap in reptile evolution and shows the Indian subcontinent was a starting point for massive lineages.

Sources & Links