Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891

Son, L. X., Poyarkov, N. A., Nam, N. T., Thinh, D. T., Binh, T. T. T. & Lien, V. V., 2023, First record of Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891 (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) from Vietnam, Far Eastern Entomologist 481, pp. 7-13 : 8-11

Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891

Figs 1 , 2

Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891: 411 ; Kraepelin, 1903: 249; Attems, 1930: 27; Siriwut et al., 2016: 87.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Vietnam: Quang Binh Province: Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, bamboo forest, 16–17. V. 2022, 2 specimens ( VRTC. PN-KB.055: 17.38897 o N, 106.20917 o E, 585 m; VRTC.PN-KB.096: 17.35084 o N, 106.20579 o E; 551 m), coll. Le Xuan Son; same locality but polydominant evergreen limestone forest, 18.V. 2022, 5 specimens ( VRTC.PN-KB.098: 17.41680 o N, 106.22165 o E; 545 m; VRTC.PN-KB.104: 17.41632 o N, 106.22327 o E, 624 m; VRTC.PN-KB.105: 17.41658 o N, 106.22305 o E, 647 m;

VRTC.PN-KB.114: 17.41657 o N, 106.22536 o E,. 680 m ; VRTC.PN-KB.115: 17.41657 o N, 106.22536 o E, 680 m), coll. Le Xuan Son.

DESCRIPTION. Morphology of the specimen VRTC.PN-KB.098 is presented in Figs. 1 , 2 . Average body length 5.5 cm (maximum to 6.5 cm). Antenna with 17 segments, basal segments 3–3.5, glabrous dorsally, following segments densely covered by minute setae. Antenna length reaches to 3rd body segment ( Fig. 2A,C,D ). Cephalic plate nearly rounded with sparsely scattered small punctae; near its margins with sparsely scattered short setae, marginate laterally with margination absent posteriorly, cephalic basal plate absent ( Fig 2C ).

Four big ocelli, nearly equal in size ( Fig 2A ). The median suture on the top of cephalic plate short, indistinct, the posterior border overlaps tergite 1. In preservation, cephalic plate dark blue on anterior part, yellowish on posterior part and T 1 ( Fig 1 ).

Forcipular segment ( Fig 2D ), coxosternite, trochanteroprefemora and the basal part of tarsungulae coarsely and sparsely punctate; coxosternite without median suture. Tooth-plates slightly wider than long or nearly subequal, with 5(6) indistinct teeth, the distance between the tooth-plates wide; each tooth-plate with straight, transverse basal suture. Forcipular trochanteroprefemoral process bearing short denticles in two groups, one apical and 2–3 inner denticles, the latter being indistinct, position of denticles higher than tooth-plates ( Fig 2D ). Maxillae with sparse short setae and segment 2 of second maxillary telopodite with spur; chitin-line usually very short.

Tergites with very small punctae; lateral margination incomplete from T 10(14) to T 20 and complete on T 21; paramedian sutures complete from T 3 to 20, without short median sulcus on anterior and posterior; last tergite sub-quadrangular and convex posteriorly. Tergites 6(13)–18(19) with median depression long. Sternite surface smooth (with few small punctae), lacking any median sulci. Sternites rectangular, last sternite triangular. Sternite 3–18 with incomplete paramedian suture (10-15% of its width), lacking depression. Coxopleuron densely covered by pores (except the apical part), coxopleural process with 3–4 apical, 1–3 subapical, 1–2 lateral and 0–1 dorsal spine(s) ( Fig 2B ).

Locomotory legs usually bearing small setae and thicker on the tibia and tarsus; legs 1– 19(20) with tarsal spur. Ultimate legs thin and moderately long, the ratio of lengths of prefemur, femur, tibia, tarsus 1 and tarsus 2 as follows: 3.9:3.0:2.8:1.6:1; ratio of length and width of prefemur 3.9:1. Prefemur with numerous iregular ventral spines (usually with 6– 8VL, 0 VM, 3M, 3–4 DM; prefemoral process short with 2–3 spines; tibia and tarsus glabrous or sparsely setose.

DISTRIBUTION. The presently known distribution of Scolopendra pinguis is shown in Fig. 3 . This species was first described by Pocock (1891) from Kayah-Karen Mountains in Burma, now Myanmar. This species was further redescribed by Kraepelin (1903) and Attem (1930) based on specimens collected from Myanmar and Indonesia. Siriwut (2016) recorded this species in Thailand (Kanchanaburi, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Chiyaphume and Loei provinces), Laos (Bo Kaew, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Houaphan provinces) and Indonesia (Batavia, Buitenzorg [now Bogor], Java). In this study we report on the occurrence of Scolopendra pinguis in limestone forests of central Vietnam (Quang Binh Province), what represents the first country record for Vietnam as well as the easternmost known locality of this species ( Fig 3 ).

HABITAT. Wide distribution of Scolopendra pinguis across the limestone landscapes of northern Indochina in Laos and northern Thailand ( Fig. 3 ) suggests that this species might be associated with karstic habitats. In Phong Nha – Ke Bang NP we collected the specimens of S. pinguis from several locations within the mixed polydominant limestone evergreen forest ( Fig. 4A ), including areas dominated by bamboo ( Fig. 4B ). The areas where S. pinguis occurs are characterized by comparatively steep sloping, high humidity, and thick leaf litter ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Scolopendra pinguis in life (VRTC.PN-KB.098). Photograph by Le Xuan Son.

Fig. 2. Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891 (VRTC.PN-KB.098). (A) head + LBS 1–5, in lateral aspect; (B) LBS 21–23 and ultimate legs in ventral aspect; (C) head + LBS 1–3 in dorsal aspect; (D) head, forcipular segment and LBS 1-5 in ventral aspect. Scale bar = 1 mm. Photographs by Le Xuan Son.

Fig. 3. Distribution of Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891. Circles – previously reported localities (from Kraepelin, 1903; Attem, 1930; and Siriwut, 2016); triangle – the newly reported locality in Phong Nha – Ke Bang NP, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Map source: http://maps.vietbando.com

Fig. 4. Natural habitat of Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891 in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. (A) Mixed polydominant limestone evergreen forest; (B) bamboo forest. Photographs by Le Xuan Son.