MSU Researcher Investigates a New Species Labeled “Jewel of the Forest”  

MSU Researcher Investigates a New Species Labeled “Jewel of the Forest”  

During fieldwork at Phu Pha Lom Forest Park, in Loei Province, a team of researchers, including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Piyatida Pimvichai, Faculty of Sciences, MSU, discovered 14 “jewel-like” millipedes. The giant pill millipede (Sphaerobelum turcosa), which has since been nicknamed “jewel of the forest” due to its bright turquoise coloring, has been identified as the newest millipede species in the world by morphology and DNA barcoding.

Also investigating Sphaerobelum turcosa in collaboration with MSU are; Dr. Ruttapon Srisonchai of Khon Kaen University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natdanai Likhitrakarn of Maejo University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chirasak Sutcharit of Chulalongkorn University, and Prof. Dr. Thierry Backeljau of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

News/Image: Faculty of Sciences, MSU

For more information about the research: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/109076/