NSF Ohio University Snake Discovery

NSF-funded researchers at Ohio University have found the oldest definitive fossil evidence of modern, venomous snakes in Africa. The newly discovered fossil was unearthed in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania. the lead author, Jacob McCartney, and his co-authors note that these findings demonstrate that Elapid snakes, such as cobras, kraits and sea snakes--were present in Africa as early as 25 million years ago.