Scientists from Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources discover two new species of arthropods in Con Dao National Park
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Anh collected samples at Con Dao National Park
With the goal of determining the level of biodiversity and species formation of some groups of land arthropods in Con Dao National Park, as a basis for building conservation and development policies, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Anh and her colleagues conducted the project: "Research on the diversity and species relationships of some groups of arthropods in Con Dao National Park as a basis for policy development.", code: VAST04.06/21-22.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Anh said that this is the first time there has been a study evaluating the diversity and species formation of arthropods in coastal island areas. Among the 3 research habitats, Collembola species are most distributed in natural forest habitats (50 species), decreased in garden land around houses (20 species) and lowest in coastal pine forest land (7 species). Some species have only been recorded in natural forest habitats, such as Ceratophysella denticulata; Choreutinula inermis; Hypogastrura manubrialis; Xenylla maritima…, either in coastal pine forest habitats (Archisotoma vaoensis; Folsomides pseudoparvulus; Folsomina infelicia) or in home garden habitats (Thalassaphorura yodai; Sinella monoculata; Hemisotoma thermophila; Isotomodes productus). For the group of millipedes and arachnids, the number of species encountered is highest in natural forests (18 species), decreases in pine forests (13 species) and is lowest in gardens around the house (8 species).
Scientists have counted 58 species belonging to 14 families, 42 varieties of 4 Collembola orders; The other 19 species of land arthropods belong to the following classes: Diplopoda, Chilopoda, Arachnida. A new record has been added to the centipede fauna of Vietnam in general and Con Dao in particular: Otostigmus sulcipes Verhoeff, 1939. Phylogenetic relationships were conducted for 3 animal groups of the classes Chilopoda, Diplopoda and Arachnida. The analysis results show that the species studied in Con Dao are new species to science, and genetically and morphologically separate from related species on the mainland. In addition, the research team performed gene sequencing and obtained 36 mitochondrial gene sequences of some arthropod species in Con Dao National Park stored in the GenBank (GenBank).
Within the research framework of the project, scientists have discovered two new species for science, including the centipede Otostigmus consonensis and the flat spider Weygoldtia condao in Con Dao National Park.
Flat spider Weygoldtia condao Nguyen & Phung, 2022 recorded in Con Dao
Researching groups of arthropods in Con Dao National Park not only helps evaluate the phylogenetic origin, biodiversity value, and endemism of the island's fauna, but it also is the scientific basis for strategic planning and building plans to conserve biodiversity and soil biological resources, helping to guide the development of sustainable ecotourism in Con Dao.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Anh wishes to continue research on the diversity and endemism of arthropods in Con Dao National Park, complete the description and announce the collected species that are still in doubt. At the same time, propaganda and education of local communities in protecting the environment and animal habitats should continue to be of concern. Using small arthropods as biological indicators in assessing the soil environment from which to develop policies for conservation and reasonable and sustainable use of land resources.
The research results have been published in 02 articles in the international journal SCIE, 01 article in a national magazine under the VAST2 category and 02 articles in the 11th National Entomology Conference. From the achieved results, the project was graded B by the Acceptance Council of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
Translated by Quoc Khanh
Link to Vietnamese version
