- Desmoxytes purpurosea
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Desmoxytes purpurosea Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Diplopoda Order: Polydesmida Family: Paradoxosomatidae Genus: Desmoxytes Species: D. purpurosea Binomial name Desmoxytes purpurosea
Enghoff, Sutcharit, & Panha, 2007The Shocking Pink Dragon Millipede (Desmoxytes purpurosea) is a spiny and toxic millipede named for its vivid pink color. First discovered in 2007 in the Hup Pa Tard limestone cavern in Thailand, within the Greater Mekong[1], the adult millipede is approximately 3 cm long and lives in the open on leaf litter. The millipedes have glands that produce hydrogen cyanide to protect them from predators[2], a fact advertised by their aposematic color.[3] Because they produce cyanide, they smell like almonds.
The shocking pink dragon millipede was named third in the top ten species in 2008 by the International Institute for Species Exploration.[4]
References
Further reading
- Enghoff, Henrik; Sutcharit, Chirasak; Panha, Somsak (2007). "The shocking pink dragon millipede, Desmoxytes purpurosea, a colourful new species from Thailand". Zootaxa 1563: 31–36. ISSN 11755326. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01563p036.pdf.
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