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What has virtually two dozen legs , swims in forest streams and is foresightful than your hand ?
MeetScolopendra alcyona , a newfound mintage of amphibian , giantcentipedethat was recently give away on several island in an archipelago in Japan . It ’s the first young species of centipede to be identified in the state in 143 twelvemonth and is only the third swimming centipede worldwide in theScolopendragenus , which includes about 100 species .
The amphibious Scolopendra alcyona lives near streambeds in the forests of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan.
LeggyS. alcyonameasures about 8 inch ( 20 centimeters ) long , has 20 leg pairs and is the fully grown have a go at it centipede in the Ryukyu Islands , a chemical chain of about 200 non - volcanic islands that lies between Kyushu , Japan ’s southernmost island , and Taiwan , according to a new report .
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S. alcyona ’s species name comes from Alcyone , a woman in Grecian mythology who was cursed by the gods after comparing herself to the goddess Hera and turned into a " genus Halcyon bird , " now lie with as a kingfisher . One of theS. alcyonacentipedes that was collected had hussy - unripe legs that were like in colour to kingfisher legs ; that and the centipede ' penchant for a watery home ground inspired the name choice , the subject generator publish .
Two close-up views of the new centipede species, Scolopendra alcyona.
In Japanese , the young species ' name is Ryûjin - ômukade , which is also take root in mythology . Hundreds of twelvemonth ago in the Ryukyu Islands , multitude decorated their sauceboat with pictures of centipedes on flag as trade protection against ryujin — adragongod . Local legends at the clip told of a ryujin that feared centipede after he had been bitten by one in the spike , harmonise to a statement .
The researchers collected seven specimen of the then - strange species , and seven centipedes of two other species in theScolopendragenus — S. mutilansandS. subspinipes — gathering the centipedes from Okinawa - jima Island , Kume - jima Island , Chichi - jima Island and central Honshu in Kanagawa prefecture . They examine physical features in the undescribed soul and conductedgeneticanalysis to lay the arthropods on the centipede menage Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , publishing their findings April 12 in the journalZootaxa .
Amphibious lifestyle
Some of theS. alcyonacentipedes were found under Stone in streambeds , or they were learn preying on river shrimp . Other centipede fudge their would - be captors by dive into the rivers , suggesting thatS. alcyonawas equally at home in water and on land , according to the bailiwick .
Variations between certain physical features in creature can avail scientists severalize between species that are very like , but such analysis can be tricksy when it come toScolopendracentipedes , said study co - source Katsuyuki Eguchi , an associate prof in the Graduate School of Science at Tokyo Metropolitan University .
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" broadly speaking , althoughScolopendraspecies are large in consistence size , there are only a few structural difference of opinion between closely related specie , " Eguchi narrate Live Science in an email . Scolopendracentipedes also deviate greatly in body coloration within a given species , which can complicate efforts to evidence species aside . In the end , a combination of physical feature — a spurring on the 20th branch pair and the absence of specialised leg for transfer sperm to females — and molecular data identifiedS. alcyonaas a trenchant species , Eguchi said .
" The discovery of one of largest Modern specie of terrestrial arthropods in Japan and Taiwan seems to point that the Ryukyu Islands are a treasure trove of nature and biodiversity , " Eguchi said . However , the scientists are concerned that plant and creature specie that are still undescribed may be lost before researchers can identify them , " due to the alarming speed of the home ground losses . "
elephantine centipedes such asS. alcyonaare also much sought - after as pets , though they are exceedingly hard to breed and nourish in incarceration . Eager collectors for the pet trade could therefore also bucket along the decay of these centipedes , Eguchi said in the e-mail .
" We desire that our uncovering will increase the momentum for the conservation of Ryukyu ’s biodiversity , " he said .
in the first place published on Live Science .
