- Desmoxytes
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Desmoxytes Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Diplopoda Order: Polydesmida Family: Paradoxosomatidae Genus: Desmoxytes
Chamberlin, 1923Species 24 described, see text
Synonyms Hylomus
Desmoxytes, whose species are commonly known as the dragon millipedes, is a genus of millipede found in southeast Asia. The genus was described by Ralph Vary Chamberlin in 1923 and reviewed by Sergei Golovatch and Henrik Enghoff in 1994.[1] At least twenty-four species are known from southeastern China to Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.[2] One species, D. planata, has also been observed in Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands, Seychelles, Java, Great Coco Island, and Fiji; however, this species has expanded its range by being transported through human activity.[1][3] Several species have only recently been discovered and some have yet to be officially described.[3]
Generally, species in this genus are striking in coloration and spiny.[3] This genus is unique for its sculptured, ornamented dorsums, and elaborate paranota.[4] The maximum length for a species in this genus is around 3 centimeters (1.2 in).[3] Species in this genus also have the ability to produce hydrogen cyanide to ward off predators, which can give the dragon millipedes an almondlike smell.[3]
Species
Other than D. planata, each species of dragon millipede is known primarily from only one or a few locations in their country of origin.[3] Additionally, there is one species from Australia, Desmoxytoides hasenpuschorum, which is extremely similar to Desmoxytes but has been split into its own monotypic genus; there is speculation, even by the genus authority for Desmoxytoides, that this split is not necessary.[3] Five species of Desmoxytes, including D. aspera, D. cervaria, D. draco, D. pilosa, and D. spectabilis, were originally placed in the separate genus Hylomus before it was lumped into Desmoxytes.[4][5]
Binomial names Authority Year Range Desmoxytes acantherpestes Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 
ThailandDesmoxytes aspera Attems 1937 
VietnamDesmoxytes cattienensis Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 VietnamDesmoxytes cervaria Attems 1953 VietnamDesmoxytes cervina Pocock 1895 
MyanmarDesmoxytes cornutus Zhang & Li 1982 
People's Republic of ChinaDesmoxytes delfae Jeekel 1964 ThailandDesmoxytes draco Cook & Loomis 1924 People's Republic of ChinaDesmoxytes enghoffi Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 VietnamDesmoxytes gigas Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 ThailandDesmoxytes hostilis Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 VietnamDesmoxytes jeekeli Golovatch and Enghoff 1994 ThailandDesmoxytes longispina Loksa 1960 People's Republic of ChinaDesmoxytes minutuberculata Zhang 1986 People's Republic of ChinaDesmoxytes pilosa Attems 1937 VietnamDesmoxytes planata Pocock 1895 widespread Desmoxytes proxima Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 VietnamDesmoxytes pterygota Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 ThailandDesmoxytes purpurosea Enghoff, Sutcharit & Panha 2007 ThailandDesmoxytes rubra Golovatch and Enghoff 1994 ThailandDesmoxytes specialis Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 VietnamDesmoxytes spectabilis Attems 1937 VietnamDesmoxytes taurina Pocock 1895 MyanmarDesmoxytes terae Jeekel 1964 
Malaysia, ThailandReferences
- ^ a b Enghoff, Henrik (November 2005). "The millipedes of Thailand (Diplopoda)". Steenstrupia (Copenhagen) 29 (1): 87–103. http://google.com/search?q=cache:VyOnluEaqawJ:www.zmuc.dk/commonweb/JOURNALS/PDF/Vol29-1/Enghoff.pdf+Desmoxytes+planata&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- ^ Thompson, Christian (2008-12-15). "First Contact in the Greater Mekong" (pdf). World Wildlife Fund. http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2008/WWFBinaryitem10994.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- ^ a b c d e f g 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. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
- ^ a b Shelley, Rowland; Selena Bauer (1998). "The Milliped Family Paradoxosomatidae in the Hawaiian Islands (Diplopoda: Polydesmida)". Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 56: 48–49. http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/fiji/pdf/shelley-bauer1998.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
- ^ "Zoo 111". Universität Ulm & Ruhr-Universität Bochum. http://www.biologie.uni-ulm.de/systax/daten/taxa/details/zoo_111.html. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
Categories:- Polydesmida
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