A newly identified species of ancient snake, Vasuki indicus , may rank among the largest snakes to ever exist. The massive reptile lived around 47 million years ago in what is now Gujarat, India, according to research published in Scientific Reports . Scientists estimate it reached an extraordinary length of about 11 to 15 meters (36 to 49 feet). While it belonged to the extinct madtsoiidae family, researchers say it represents a unique lineage that originated on the Indian subcontinent.

The discovery comes from a specimen described by Debajit Datta and Sunil Bajpai, who studied fossils recovered from the Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch, Gujarat State, India. These remains date back to the Middle Eocene period, roughly 47 million years ago.…