Desmoxytes, whose species are commonly known as the dragon millipedes, is a genus of millipede of the family Paradoxosomatidae found in southeast Asia. The genus was described by Ralph Vary Chamberlin in 1923 and reviewed by Sergei Golovatch and Henrik Enghoff in 1994. At least twenty-nine species are known from southeastern China to Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. 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. Several species have only recently been discovered and some have yet to be officially described.

Generally, species in this genus are striking in coloration and spiny, although several species are cave-dwelling, and show troglomorphic characters such as pale browinish coloration and long, narrow spines. This genus is unique for its sculptured, ornamented dorsum, and elaborate paranota. The maximum length for a species in this genus is around 3 centimeters (1.2 inches). 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.

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. 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. 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.


Desmoxytes eupterygota, a troglomorphic species from Hunan Province, China

Desmoxytes purpurosea, the "shocking pink dragon millipede," from Thailand
Binomial names Authority Year Range
Desmoxytes acantherpestes Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 Thailand
Desmoxytes aspera Attems 1937 Vietnam
Desmoxytes cattienensis Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 Vietnam
Desmoxytes cervaria Attems 1953 Vietnam
Desmoxytes cervina Pocock 1895 Myanmar
Desmoxytes cornutus Zhang & Li 1982 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes delfae Jeekel 1964 Thailand
Desmoxytes draco Cook & Loomis 1924 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes enghoffi Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 Vietnam
Desmoxytes eupterygota Golovatch et al. 2012 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes getuhensis Liu, Golovatch & Tian 2014 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes gigas Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 Thailand
Desmoxytes hostilis Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 Vietnam
Desmoxytes jeekeli Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 Thailand
Desmoxytes lingulata Liu, Golovatch & Tian 2014 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes longispina Loksa 1960 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes lui Golovatch et al. 2012 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes minutuberculata Zhang 1986 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes nodulosa Liu, Golovatch & Tian 2014 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes parvula Liu, Golovatch & Tian 2014 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes pilosa Attems 1937 Vietnam
Desmoxytes planata Pocock 1895 widespread
Desmoxytes proxima Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 Vietnam
Desmoxytes pterygota Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 Thailand
Desmoxytes purpurosea Enghoff, Sutcharit & Panha 2007 Thailand
Desmoxytes rhinoceros Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha 2015 Laos
Desmoxytes rhinoparva Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha 2015 Laos
Desmoxytes rubra Golovatch & Enghoff 1994 Thailand
Desmoxytes scolopendroides Golovatch et al. 2010 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes scutigeroides Golovatch et al. 2010 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes specialis Nguyen Duc Anh et al. 2005 Vietnam
Desmoxytes spectabilis Attems 1937 Vietnam
Desmoxytes spinissima Golovatch et al. 2012 People's Republic of China
Desmoxytes taurina Pocock 1895 Myanmar
Desmoxytes terae Jeekel 1964 Malaysia,  Thailand

source - Wikipedia