New fossils of Acrochordus Hornstedt (Serpentes, Caenophidia) from the Middle Miocene of Kutch, western India: quantitative taxonomic evaluation and palaeoclimatic insights

Here we report on new fossils of the iconic South Asian extant genus Acrochordus Hornstedt, from the Middle Miocene ( c . 14 Ma) of Kutch, western India. The new material strongly suggests that the Kutch species is morphologically distinct from Acrochordus dehmi , the only recognized extinct species of the genus, and that it is likely to represent a new species. In a measurement‐ and landmark‐based principal component analysis, the Kutch Acrochordus plots outside the morphospace of A. dehmi , consistent with our osteological observations. Species identification in most previous records of Acrochordus dehmi from Kutch was apparently based on general similarities, and may need to be revised. With a body length estimate of 2.5–3.1 m, the new Kutch Acrochordus thrived in a warm climate at a palaeotemperature of c . 28°C during the Middle Miocene. The new data from Kutch indicate that the fossil taxa in the family Acrochordidae are in need of a major revision for a better understanding of this family's past taxonomic diversity.