A lost millipede we rediscovered as part of our Makira 2023 Expedition to the Makira Forest Protected Area in Madagascar has just been officially described as part of Wesener et al., ‘Revision of the millipede family Dalodesmidae in Madagascar, with descriptions of two new Malagasy species of Dalodesmus Cook, 1896 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida)’.
Last described from an unknown locality in ‘Madagascar’ more than 184 years ago in 1841, Dalodesmus hamatus is only known from this one female specimen currently in the Zoological Institute, St Petersburg. Wesener et al., have analysed the specimen we collected in Makira in 2023, and determined it is the first known male specimen of this species and is not known to exist in any collections around the world, thereby becoming the male holotype for this species. Approximately 20mm long, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of this specimen has revealed some of the spectacular morphological characters of this species including the midbody segments seen in the second image.
Additionally, being the only known confirmed locality of this species, this discovery is key in enhancing our understanding of this unique species. The specimen we collected has been deposited in the collections of the University of Bonn, Germany. The redescription of D. hamatus underscores the importance of continued taxonomic research in Madagascar, a region known for its rich and unique biodiversity. By examining both historical and newly collected specimens, researchers can gain deeper insights into species' characteristics and distributions, which are essential for effective conservation efforts
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