Cryptops speleorex is a species of troglobitic centipede in the family Cryptopidae. It is endemic to the Movile Cave, Romania, where it was discovered in 2020.

Cryptops speleorex
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Scolopendromorpha
Family: Cryptopidae
Genus: Cryptops
Species:
C. speleorex
Binomial name
Cryptops speleorex
Vahtera, Stoev & Akkari, 2020

Appearance

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C. speleorex grows to roughly 52 millimetres (2.0 in).[1][2]

Ecology

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C. speleorex is the largest invertebrate animal that lives in Movile Cave. It feeds on other arthropods, such as isopods, spiders, small beetles, and diplura.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Vahtera, Varpu; Stoev, Pavel & Akkari, Nesrine (2020-12-16). "Five million years in the darkness: A new troglomorphic species of Cryptops Leach, 1814 (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha) from Movile Cave, Romania". ZooKeys (1004): 1–26. Bibcode:2020ZooK.1004....1V. doi:10.3897/zookeys.1004.58537. PMC 7758309. PMID 33384564.
  2. ^ Nield, David (2020-12-19). "Meet The 'King' of a Toxic Underground Ecosystem Unlike Anywhere Else on Earth". ScienceAlert. Retrieved 2023-01-13.