Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2007-08-29
Page range: 31–36
Abstract views: 87
PDF downloaded: 40

The shocking pink dragon millipede, Desmoxytes purpurosea, a colourful new species from Thailand (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae)

Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Animal Systematics Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Animal Systematics Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Diplopoda taxonomy aposematic Uthaithani province

Abstract

A shocking pink, very spiny new species of “dragon millipede”, Desmoxytes purpurosea sp.n., is described from Thailand, Uthaithani province. Its behaviour suggests that its colouration is aposematic, like that of some bright red congeners. Relations of the new species to congeners are discussed.

References

  1. Department of National Parks, Thailand (2004) Hup Pa Tard, Uthaithani. Year Report on biodiversity resources conservation, 34 pp. (in Thai).

    Eisner, T., Alsop, D., Hicks, K. & Meinwald, J. (1978) Defensive scretions of millipeds. Handbook of Pharmacology, 48, 41-72.

    Golovatch, S.I. & Enghoff, H. (1994) Review of the dragon millipedes, genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae). Steenstrupia, 20, 45–71.

    Mesibov, R.(2006) Dirt-encrusted and dragon millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae) from Queensland, Australia. Zootaxa, 1354, 31–44.

    Nguyen Duc Anh, Golovatch, S.I. & Anichkin, A.E. (2005) The dragon millipedes in Vietnam (Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae, genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923). Arthropoda Selecta, 14, 251–257.

    Shelley, R.M., Bauer, S.B. & Swift, S.F. (1998) The millipede family Paradoxosomatidae in the Hawaiian islands (Diplopoda: Polydesmida). Bishop Museum Occasional Papers, 56, 43–53.

    Shelley, R.M. & Lehtinen, P.T. (1998) Introduced millipeds of the family Paradoxosomatidae on Pacific Islands (Diplopoda: Polydesmida). Arthropoda Selecta, 7, 81–94.