Molecular and morphological data uncover a striking new genus of dragon millipedes in Thailand, with alternately long and short legs (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae).

IF 1.8 2区生物学 Q3 EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

Invertebrate Systematics Pub Date : 2025-06-01 DOI:10.1071/IS25007

Ruttapon Srisonchai, Henrik Enghoff, Natdanai Likhitrakarn, Somsak Panha, Chirasak Sutcharit

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Abstract

The dragon millipedes are a unique and diverse group of diplopods, endemic to limestone habitats in South-east Asia, and yet several new genera and species are still to be discovered. Among these, a recent field survey uncovered several striking specimens featuring alternately long and short legs on each diplosegment, a morphological trait previously unseen in the family Paradoxosomatidae or any other diplopods, except for the genus Pandirodesmus Silvestri, 1932 (family Chelodesmidae). Using mitochondrial (COI , 16S ) and nuclear (28S ) genetic data, alongside detailed morphological analysis in order to confirm their status, we reconstructed phylogenetic trees of dragon millipedes through maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The phylogenetic trees strongly support the monophyly of all dragon millipedes, as well as of each nominal dragon millipede genus. The results also revealed the new specimens forming a distinctly separate clade that is closely related to Spinaxytes . Based on these findings, we establish a new monotypic genus of dragon millipedes to accommodate a new species, Alternaxytes bipectinata gen. nov., sp. nov., within the tribe Orthomorphini of the family Paradoxosomatidae. Morphologically, Alternaxytes gen. nov. is characterised by unique gonopodal features and heteropodous legs, suggesting a case example of convergent evolution within Diplopoda. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E8C1488C-AF69-4F52-9F65-7645C7498D60.

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分子和形态学数据揭示了泰国一个惊人的新属龙千足虫，长腿和短腿交替（双足目，多足目，似足科）。

龙千足虫是一种独特而多样的二足动物，东南亚石灰岩栖息地特有，但仍有几个新属和新物种有待发现。其中，最近的野外调查发现了几个惊人的标本，每个双肢节上的腿交替长和短，这是一种形态特征，以前在佯虫科或任何其他双足动物中都没有发现，除了1932年的Pandirodesmus Silvestri属（Chelodesmidae科）。利用线粒体（COI, 16S）和细胞核（28S）遗传数据，结合详细的形态学分析，通过极大似然和贝叶斯推理，重建了龙千足虫的系统发育树。系统发育树强有力地支持所有龙千足虫的单系性，以及每一个名义龙千足虫属。结果还显示，新的标本形成了一个明显独立的分支，与Spinaxytes密切相关。基于这些发现，我们建立了一个新的单型属，以容纳一个新的物种，Alternaxytes bipectinata gen. nov., sp. nov.，在龙千足虫科正足虫族中。在形态上，互生雌雄同体具有独特的雌雄同体特征和异足异足的腿，这是双足动物趋同进化的一个例子。ZooBank: urn: lsid zoobank.org:酒吧:e8c1488c af69 - 4 - f52 9 f65 - 7645 c7498d60。

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来源期刊

Invertebrate Systematics 生物-动物学

CiteScore

4.30

自引率

9.10%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Invertebrate Systematics (formerly known as Invertebrate Taxonomy) is an international journal publishing original and significant contributions on the systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of all invertebrate taxa. Articles in the journal provide comprehensive treatments of clearly defined taxonomic groups, often emphasising their biodiversity patterns and/or biological aspects. The journal also includes contributions on the systematics of selected species that are of particular conservation, economic, medical or veterinary importance. Invertebrate Systematics is a vital resource globally for scientists, students, conservation biologists, environmental consultants and government policy advisors who are interested in terrestrial, freshwater and marine systems. Invertebrate Systematics is published with the endorsement of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Academy of Science.