Six new species of dragon millipedes have been discovered by scientists in the deep, dark caves of China. These cave-dwelling creepy crawlies were found in the caves of Guangdong and Guangxi Zhuang, by a diverse team of researchers from South China Agricultural University, the Russian Academy of Sciences and Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig.
Dragon millipedes are native to southeastern Asia and these extraordinary creatures are characterized by a fish bone-like body with spiny projections such as that on a dragon.
Given that their natural habitat is the cave, they exhibit loss of pigmentation and usually appear a dirty white in color or are translucent by nature. Their legs and antennas are unusually elongated, setting them apart from the other species of millipedes. Four out of the six species that were discovered, live exclusively in caves.
"This genus is conspicuous in its species generally showing a dragon-like appearance, with strongly wing, spine or antler-shaped paraterga," wrote the researchers in their published study.
An interesting fact about the dragon millipedes is that they come equipped with a deadly toxin namely hydrogen cyanide to ward off dangerous predators.
Dragon millipedes belong to a genus of millipedes called the Desmoxytes, which are rampant in southeastern Asia.
The findings of the study published on ZooKeys is an add-on to the already existing 2007 study based on the discovery of several new species of Desmoxytes. Wide attention was particularly received at the discovery of a dragon millipede in a shocking pink avatar in Thailand. These millipede species are found prevalent in the Mekong Delta, and several other places across Thailand and Myanmar.
The team of researchers from China, Russia and Germany chanced upon these new species in two separate regions of Guangdong and Guangxi Zhuang. Both these places comprise of incredible caves that shelter a wide variety of extraordinary species that are still yet to be discovered.
