Laophis

Laophis (From Ancient Greek, stone snake)[1] is a genus of viperid snake currently containing one known species that lived during the Pliocene in Northern Greece.[2] Few fossil vertebrae of this species was found in Thessaloniki, Greece.[3] It reached a total length of 3–4 m (9.8–13.1 ft) and a mass of 26 kg (57 lb), making this perhaps the largest viper discovered yet.[4][2] Originally described by Sir Richard Owen, the original fossils had been lost, until rediscovery of a single vertebra was discovered somewhere near Thessaloniki in 2014.[5][6]

Laophis
Temporal range:
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: †Laophis
Species:
†L. crotaloides
Binomial name
†Laophis crotaloides
(Owen, 1857)

References
  1. Georgios Georgalis (2016). "New material of Laophis crotaloides, an enigmatic giant snake from Greece, with an overview of the largest fossil European vipers". researchgate.net. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  2. Georgalis, Georgios (2014). "Rediscovery of Laophis crotaloides – the world's largest viper?". ResearchGate.
  3. Owen, R. (1857). "On the Fossil Vertebrae of a Serpent (Laophis crotaloides, Ow.) discovered by Capt. Spratt, R.N., in a Tertiary Formation at Salonica". Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. 13 (1–2): 196–199. doi:10.1144/GSL.JGS.1857.013.01-02.28. S2CID 131142130.
  4. Pappas, Stephanie (2014). "Biggest Venomous Snake Ever Revealed in New Fossils". LiveScience.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  5. Pappas, Stephanie (2014). "Biggest Venomous Snake Ever Revealed in New Fossils". LiveScience.com.
  6. Kear, Benjamin P. (2014). "Rediscovery of Laophis crotaloides – the worlds [sic] largest viper?". academia.edu.


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