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  • Pale creature with ‘sharp’ claws found in cave in China. It’s a new species

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    Scientists found a pale creature with “sharp” in a cave in China and discovered a new species, a study said and photo shows.

    Scientists found a pale creature with “sharp” in a cave in China and discovered a new species, a study said and photo shows.

    Photo from Getty / iStockphoto

    In a mountainous cave of southeastern China, a pale creature with “sharp” claws moved along the rocky ground. A beam of light cut through the shadows and eventually landed on it.

    Scientists peered at the lurking animal — and discovered a new species.

    A team of researchers spent nearly two years visiting caves in the Wuling Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot that spans Hunan province, as part of a project to survey “cave biological resources,” according to a study published Sept. 23 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.

    During their surveys, which lasted from 2023 to 2025, researchers found dozens of cave-dwelling millipedes, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals and quickly realized they’d discovered a new species: Epanerchodus shibadongensis, or the Shibadong millipede.

    An Epanerchodus shibadongensis, or Shibadong millipede, in its natural habitat.
    An Epanerchodus shibadongensis, or Shibadong millipede, in its natural habitat. Photo from Li, Deng, Li, Huang, Tang, Zou and Liu (2025)

    Shibadong millipedes are considered “larger” millipedes, reaching about an inch in length, the study said. They have “long and slender” antennae on their heads, 20 body segments and “slender” legs ending in “sharp” claws.

    A photo shows the pale “whitish” coloring of the new species.

    Shibadong millipedes have only been found in caves, the study said. Much about their lifestyle and behavior remains unknown.

    Researchers said they named the new species after Shibadong Village and Shiba Cave where it was first discovered.

    So far, Shibadong millipedes have been found at three caves in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, a region of Hunan province in southeastern China, the study said.

    “Given the extreme and highly fragile nature of cave ecosystems, it is of utmost importance to enhance protection efforts,” researchers said.

    The new species was identified by its coloring, body segments, body proportions and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least about 12% genetic divergence from related species.

    The research team included Shi Li, Hua-Juan Deng, Lin-Bei Li, Jie Huang, Yan Tang, Ya-Zhen Zou and Zhi-Xiao Liu.

    The team also discovered a second new species of cave-dwelling millipede.

    Aspen Pflughoeft

    McClatchy DC

    Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.

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    Aspen Pflughoeft

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