When your friends and acquaintances talk about going to Thailand, the first things that come to mind are idyllic beaches, ancient temples, and exotic food. Very few people will think about bugs, unless they remember those stalls in the night markets offering skewers of various fried insects. However, biologists are overjoyed with a new discovery in a Thai cave far removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Thailand, apart from being a perfect tourist destination, is world-renowned for its exuberant biodiversity and geological formations. These two factors have conspired to reveal another hidden wonder in its deep caves.
Scientists have discovered a new species of 1,000-foot dragonfly that has them on the edge of their seats with excitement. There are babies whose faces only a mother could love, and for scientists, this creature (which to the rest of the population would look like any other centipede) is so unique that it has them totally excited. To each their own.
The new insect causing a stir in Thailand
This arthropod has already been given a very long name: Desmoxytes chaofa Srisonchai, sp. nov.. If you’re a big Pokemon fan, you can just call it Scolipede. This little insect was living peacefully in caves until it encountered scientists who were conducting field research on geological formations in the north of the country. These experts were not even focusing on arthropods, but on myriapods. When the scientists arrived at Pha Daeng Cave, located in Mae Hong Son Province, they came across this unique specimen.
Believe it or not, geology plays a crucial role in the development of insects. This region is world-renowned for its large limestone structures.
These isolated geological refuges help insects evolve to become endemic specialists. In other words, this insect has always lived inside this particular cave and has never ventured outside. It only exists in this part of the world. It’s the equivalent of finding a Shiny Pokémon.
The “chaofa” insect
As the scientific name in Latin for this insect is too long, local scientists have been quick to give it a nickname. This species is known by the Thai term “chaofa”, which has a special and profound meaning linked to the monarchy. Chaofa literally translates as royal princess (although from a royal princess’s point of view, she would probably not be very happy to be identified or associated with an insect of this appearance).
However, the insect has been conceived as a direct tribute to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. This Thai princess is known both to the public and the scientific community as a figure committed to environmental conservation and biodiversity research in the country. So she may not mind that an exotic insect has been discovered and named after her. The scientific courtesy protocol is bizarre, to say the least.
Leaving aside the human royal princess and returning to the little creature, the main threat to D. chaofa is the destruction or disturbance of its limited limestone habitat. In other words, it is better to leave that cave alone and let it continue to live there without anyone disturbing it.
Scientific Classification of the “Chaofa”
And although to the general public all centipedes may look the same, a great deal of integrative taxonomy is required to biologically analyze a species. This particular arthropod belongs to the class Diplopoda, within the phylum Arthropoda. Researchers have determined that D. chaofa is closely related to Desmoxytes octoconigera, a species described in 2018.
According to molecular analyses, this insect differs by at least 10% from other similar species of the genus. This genetic divergence shows that it is a separate entity in evolutionary terms. Evolution in geologically isolated environments (each in its own cave from which it has never emerged in hundreds or thousands of years) means that each species evolves at its own pace and does not mix with others.
Apart from being called a princess, many have nicknamed it a dragon because of its imposing and spiny appearance. In Asian culture, it is reminiscent of an armored animal, with a segmented body and an intricate structure with long, thin legs.
