Desmoxytes purpurosea Enghoff, Sutcharit & Panha, 2007
Abstract
A shocking pink, very spiny new species of “dragon millipede”, Desmoxytes purpuroseasp.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.
Key words: taxonomy, aposematic, Uthaithani province
FIGURE 1. A and B: two different males. C: mating couple, male on top. Photographs by S. Panha.
Holotype: male Thailand, Hup Pa Tard, Tam Pratun Non-hunting area, Department
of National Parks, Lansak district, Uthaithani province at 15° 22.602' N 99° 37.346' E, 28.viii.2006, S. Panha, H. Enghoff, P. Pimwichai and C. Sutcharit leg. (Museum of Zoology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok).
– Paratypes: 16 males, 30 females, same data as holotype ((Museum of Zoology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 4 males, 3 females Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen).
Etymology: The species epithet is a composite Latin adjective, meaning “purple-pink”.
Diagnosis: Paraterga winglike. Gonopods strongly condensed. Male femora 5 and 6 humped. Similar in these respects to D. cervina (Pocock, 1895), D. delfae (Jeekel, 1964), D. planata (Pocock, 1895), D. pterygota Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, and D. rubra Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994. Differs from these species by having 3+3 posterior spines on midbody metaterga instead of 2+2, and by the combination of red-pink colour and larger size.
Reference:
Enghoff, H.; Sutcharit, C.; Panha, S. 2007: The shocking pink dragon millipede, Desmoxytes purpurosea, a colourful new species from Thailand (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae). Zootaxa, 1563: 31-36.: http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01563p036.pdf
