First record of large centipede species in Vietnam

Scientists discovered the centipede Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891, measuring up to 6.5 cm in size, in Phong Nha - Ke Bang forest, bringing the total number of species recorded in Vietnam to 9.

The discovery by a research team from the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center and the Vietnam Museum of Nature has just been published in the Far Eastern Entomologist journal . This is the first time this species has been recorded in Vietnam , marking the expansion of its distribution range to the east in Southeast Asia.

Scolopendra pinguis in the wild. (Photo: Le Xuan Son).

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 antennal segments of this species are hairless, while the latter segments are covered with fine hairs. The head is dark green in front and turns pale yellow in the back, giving the species its distinctive coloration. In addition, its terminal limbs are long and thin.

Master Le Xuan Son, representative of the research team, said that before being discovered in Vietnam, Scolopendra pinguis had been recorded in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. This new discovery shows that this centipede species is also distributed in the limestone forest ecosystem of Phong Nha - Ke Bang, an area with high humidity and thick leaf cover, especially in bamboo forests and forests on limestone.

Specimens collected in Phong Nha - Ke Bang show slight differences compared to those previously found in Thailand and Laos. Scattered small holes appear on the back and belly of specimens in Vietnam, while this feature is not observed in Laos and Thailand (according to Siriwut, 2016). This highlights the morphological and genetic diversity of the species in different populations.

The specimens are currently fixed and preserved in 70-80% alcohol at the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center and the Vietnam Museum of Nature for detailed analysis.

Master Le Xuan Son said that the recognition of Scolopendra pinguis shows that the centipede fauna in Vietnam still contains many undiscovered species. Further research on the taxonomy of this group promises to bring many new discoveries.

In 2022, the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center also discovered the centipede Scolopendra cataracta of the genus Scolopendra, family Scolopendridae in Ta Dung National Park, Dak Nong province. This species has a body length of 24 cm (including antennae and last legs is 32 cm). The average width of the body segments is 1.6 cm, the largest reaching 1.8 cm.

Currently, large centipedes of the genus Scolopendra in Vietnam are commonly hunted for medicinal purposes, ornamental purposes or as food for domestic animals. This has led to a significant decline in the number of these species. The species record adds evidence of biodiversity in Vietnam and conservation work.