Scientists have discovered the centipede species Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891, measuring up to 6.5 cm in length in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang forest, bringing the total number of recorded species in Vietnam to 9.
The discovery was made by a research team from the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center and the Vietnam Natural History Museum, recently published in the journal Far Eastern Entomologist. This is the first time this species has been recorded in Vietnam, marking an eastward expansion of its distribution in Southeast Asia.
Scolopendra pinguis in nature. (Photo: Lê Xuân Sơn).
The centipede Scolopendra pinguis belongs to the family Scolopendridae and has an average length of about 5.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 6.5 cm. The first segments of its antennae are hairless, while the subsequent segments are covered with small fine hairs. The head is dark green at the front and transitions to light yellow at the back, creating a distinctive coloration for the species. Additionally, their last legs are long and slender.
Master Lê Xuân Sơn, a representative of the research team, stated that before being discovered in Vietnam, Scolopendra pinguis had been recorded in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. This new finding indicates that this centipede species is also distributed within the limestone forest ecosystem of Phong Nha – Ke Bang, an area characterized by high humidity and dense leaf litter, particularly in bamboo forests and deciduous forests on limestone substrates.
The specimens collected from Phong Nha – Ke Bang show slight differences from those previously found in Thailand and Laos. On the back and belly of the specimens in Vietnam, small scattered pores appear, which were not observed in Laos and Thailand (according to Siriwut, 2016). This highlights the morphological and genetic diversity of the species across different populations.
The specimens are currently preserved in 70-80% alcohol at the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center and the Vietnam Natural History Museum for detailed analysis.
Master Lê Xuân Sơn noted that the recognition of the Scolopendra pinguis species indicates that the centipede fauna in Vietnam still harbors many undiscovered species. Further research into the taxonomy of this group promises to yield new discoveries.
In 2022, the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center also discovered the centipede species Scolopendra cataracta belonging to the genus Scolopendra, family Scolopendridae, in Tà Đùng National Park, Dak Nong Province. This species has a body length of 24 cm (including antennae and last legs measuring 32 cm). The average width of the body segments is 1.6 cm, with the largest reaching 1.8 cm.
Currently, large centipede species of the genus Scolopendra are commonly hunted in Vietnam for medicinal purposes, ornamental use, or as feed for domestic animals. This has led to a significant decline in their populations. The acknowledgment of this species adds evidence to the biodiversity in Vietnam and emphasizes the need for conservation efforts.
