Despite the existence of over 3000 snake species on Earth, we know very little about their origins. But we do know they shared the same ancestors as lizards, as many used to have legs at some point. 

One of the most puzzling facts that has confused many paleontologists for years is that many prehistoric snakes could not adapt to environmental changes. Thanks to advances in science, most notably paleontology techniques, more information has emerged, allowing us to learn how these ancient snakes lived…and died.

List of Snakes That Went Extinct

Name	Characteristics	Where Did It Live	When Did It Become Extinct	Reason for Extinction
Titanoboa cerrejonensis	1. Largest snake to have ever lived, reached lengths of up to 47 feet	La Guajira, Colombia	Paleocene (about 60 million to 58 million years ago)	Inability to adapt to colder temperatures
Gigantophis garstini	1. Similar in size to the modern anaconda 2. Size indicates that it fed on large prey	Northern Sahara, between Algeria and Egypt	Eocene (about 40 million years ago)	Inability to adapt to changing environments
Pterosphenus schucherti	1. Adapted to marine environments 2. Unique, elongated body structure	Eastern US, Ecuador, India, and parts of Africa (Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Nigeria)	Eocene (about 40 million years ago)	Inability to adapt to a global drop in temperature
Kelyophis hechti	1. Distinct elongated body 2. Unique vertebral structure that indicates it wasn’t aquatic like other snakes in its family	Maevarano Formation, Madagascar	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Inability to adapt to changing environments
Eophis underwoodi	1. One of the earliest known snakes 2. Small and slender	Forest Marble Formation, United Kingdom	Middle Jurassic (about 174.1 to 163.5 million years ago)	Unknown
Psammophis odysseus	1. Slender body 2. Unique dental pattern indicating predatory behavior	Throughout Eurasia and Africa	Late Miocene (Around 5.5 million years ago)	Unknown, however, it had successfully adapted to the changing environment after the  Messinian salinity crisis, which caused the extinction of multiple species
Palaeophis colossaeus	1. Large size 2. Adapted to marine environments 3. Elongated body with a unique vertebral structure	Europe (Denmark, England, and France) and Northwest Africa (Mali and Morocco)	Eocene (about 40 million years ago)	Loss of habitat over time
Archaeophis proavus	1. Primitive features that suggest an early transition from lizards to snakes	Monte Bolca, Italy	Eocene (about 40 million years ago)	Unknown
Diablophis gilmorei	1. Robust build 2. Unique cranial structure indicating predatory behavior	Morrison Formation, USA	Late Jurassic (about 161 to 145 million years ago)	Unknown
Eupodophis descouensi	1. Adapted to marine environments 2. Possessed hind limb remnants, indicating a transitional stage between lizards and snakes	Mediterranean Sea	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Haasiophis terrasanctus	1. Adapted to survive in marine environments 2. Possessed hind limb remnants, indicating it was a transitional stage between lizards and snakes	Ein Yabrud, Jerusalem	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Lapparentophis defrennei	1. Elongated body with a unique vertebral structure	Northwestern Africa	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Najash rionegrina	1. Lived on land 2. Distinct pelvic girdles with hind limb remnants	Candeleros Formation, Argentina	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Nidophis insularis	1. Small size, about 3 feet long	Romania	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Pachyophis woodwardi	1. Elongated body 2. Robust vertebral structure 3. Teeth indicate it fed on marine worms	Bileca, Herzegovina	Late Cretaceous (about 101 to 94 million years ago)	Most likely was unable to handle a loss in its specialized diet
Pachyrhachis problematicus	1. Adapted to marine environments  2. Distinct vertebral structure indicating it may have been a transitional state between a lizard and a snake 3. Hind limb remnants	Ein Yabrud, Jerusalem	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Parviraptor estesi	1. Slender body 2. Unique vertebral structure suggesting predatory behavior	Morrison Formation, USA	Early Cretaceous (about 150 to 140 million years ago)	Unknown
Laophis crotaloides	1. Robust body and unique skull structure indicate predatory behavior	Thessaloniki, Northern Greece	Pliocene (about 4 million years ago)	Unknown
Pouitella pervetus	1. Elongated body with distinct vertebral features	Brézé and Lussant, France	Late Cretaceous (about 66 million years ago)	Unknown
Wonambi naracoortensis	1. Large size 2. Physical structure indicates it was a formidable predator 3. One of the last members of its family, Madtsoiidae	Australia	Late Neogene (about 2.5 million years ago)	Hunting by early man
Yurlunggur camfieldensis	1. Large size  2. Robust body, indicating it was an apex predator 3. Unique cranial structure suggesting it fed on large prey 4. Most likely was fossorial or semi-fossorial	Australia	Miocene (about 11 million years ago)	Unknown
Hoffstetter’s Worm Snake (Madatyphlops cariei)	1. Small size 2. Worm-like appearance	Mauritius	Around 1994	Introduction of exotic predators to its habitat
Round Island Burrowing Boa (Bolyeria multocarinata)	1. Possessed multi-keeled scales	Mauritius	Around 1975	Indiscriminate killing by European settlers, who viewed them as pests, along with habitat loss caused by the settlers’ livestock overgrazing

It is also worth mentioning that several snakes — the Ankafina Ground Snake, the Viquez Tropical Ground Snake, the Saint Croix Racer, the Brike Snake, and the Agalta Mountain Forest Snake — have not been seen in the wild for an extended period. This means these snakes are probably extinct, though the IUCN has yet to declare them as such. 

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