New albino millipede found in Grand Canyon cave
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/25/2007 01:30:58 AM MDT
HURRICANE - Researchers say they have discovered a new type of albino millipede in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument.
It is the second such discovery for cave specialists Kyle Voyles and J. Judson Wynne in their search for invertebrates in the monument.
The two collected specimens in caves there two years ago after Voyles wrote a proposal to survey and inventory caves on the monument.
Last year the duo announced their samples yielded the discovery of a new genus of cricket. Now, they say they have a new genus of millipede.
Millipedes are generally found in leaf litter, but the cave where the eyeless, albino millipede was found is in a barren area with no leaf litter within 30 miles.
''We found two millipede species in two caves on opposite sides of the Grand Canyon,'' Voyles said. ''Now we know it's a new genus.''
A genus is a classification that must contain one or more species.
Voyles said other finds, which include new species of spider, cricket, barklouse and beetle, raise more questions than they answer.
Also, 12 new caves have been found on the monument property.
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