Giant prehistoric snake longer than a T.rex found in India

Because of the incomplete nature of the Vasuki remains, the researchers gave an estimated length range of 11-15 metres and a rough estimate of a metric ton in weight.

Vasuki rivals in size another huge prehistoric snake called Titanoboa, whose fossils were discovered in a coal mine in northern Colombia, in South America, as announced in 20

etric tons, lived 58-60 million years ago. The reticulated python is the longest extant snake, sometimes measuring 20-30 feet (6-9 metres).

“The estimated body length of Vasuki is comparable to that of Titanoboa, although the vertebrae of Titanoboa are slightly larger than those of Vasuki. However, at this point, we cannot say if Vasuki was more massive or slender compared to Titanoboa,” said palaeontologist and study co-author Sunil Bajpai, a professor at IITR.

These huge snakes lived during the Cenozoic era, which began after the dinosaur age ended 66 million years ago.

Perhaps the largest-known Tyrannosaurus rex is a specimen named Sue at the Field Museum in Chicago, at 40.5 feet (12.3 metres) long, though a T. rex would have been more massive than these snakes.

The biggest Vasuki vertebra was around 4.5 inches (11.1 cm) wide. Vasuki appears to have had a broad, cylindrical body perhaps around 17 inches (44 cm) wide. The skull was not found.