Snails, molluscs, a shocking pink millipede ... after almost 30 years, Prof Somsak Panha is still excited about the future

STORY BY PICHAYA SVASTI, MAIN PHOTO BY YINGYONG UN-ANONGRAK

Wading through the water in his parents' paddy fields in Ban Mi district, Lop Buri, in search of fish, crabs and shrimps was how Prof Somsak Panha spent much of his childhood. But unlike most other boys, whose only interest would be to eat what they found, Somsak examined every detail of the animals he caught to figure out their differences.

He gradually developed an interest in freshwater animals and invertebrates. He studied hard, won scholarships and finally received a PhD in Japan. At present, Somsak is one of Thailand's leading malacologists - a scientist who studies molluscs - and is the current president of Unitas Malacologia, the International Society of Malacology. He has discovered nearly 100 new species, and his newest discovery, Desmoxytes purpurosea, or the shocking pink dragon millipede, has been ranked third in this year's Top Ten New Species list by the International Institute for Species Exploration.

Malacologist Prof Somsak Panha conducting field work.

"I'm so proud to see truths from nature and the cycles of life from birth to death through the discovery of new species," Somsak of the Animal Systematic Research Unit of the Faculty of Science's Department of Biology, Chulalongkorn University, remarked.

With almost 30 years' experience in the fields of zoology and malacology, Somsak, now 50, has discovered almost 100 new species, including some 80 genera of snails. He has written or co-written over 60 academic reports and abstracts, 78 research papers and five books.

With a bachelor's degree in biology from Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmitr, a master's degree in invertebrate zoology from Chulalongkorn University, and a PhD in malacology from Kyoto University, Japan, he humbly admitted that he is Thailand's foremost snail researcher.

To him, being a malacology is both an art and a science - as well as applying scientific knowledge to real life, malacologists must also know how to paint and show to the world what they have found.

"Malacologists must have patience. We have to endure mosquito bites and can be infected with malaria anytime. This is because what we study lives in damp environments and are active at night. Once, I was almost bitten by a snake," he added.

In the past, he led field surveys in nearby provinces every weekend. During summer holidays, he spent more than a month on field trips in either the South or the North.

As time went by, his focus changed from freshwater shells to snails living on limestone mountains and then to millipedes. At present, he regularly leads field trips that usually last two or three weeks.

The shocking pink dragon millipede, discovered by Prof Somsak and his team and rated third in this year's Top 10 New Species List.

"We mostly work and collect samples during the night, because such animals are active at night. We have encountered dangerous animals, such as snakes, and we have learned how to protect ourselves from them," Somsak recalled.

According to him, he was first afraid. But his fears were allayed after he had learned a lot about the world at night from one of his mentors, Prof John Burch, a freshwater shell and snail expert from the University of Michigan, in the US.

From Burch, who came to Thailand and worked with him several times, Somsak learned how to avoid dangerous wildlife. He also learned a great deal from another of his mentors, Prof Paiboon Naiyanate, Chulalongkorn University's crab expert.

"I have a clear picture that field work is a matter of life. First, I was excited to see big and small creatures. Later, I opted to study nature," Somsak said.

According to him, when he was a young man, he was delighted to discover new species, but as he gets older, he has come to terms with a fact of life: The only certain thing in life is uncertainty.

One example is the micro snails on limestone mountains. These snails are unique, with "thorns" or wing-like organs since they have to adjust themselves to survive in unstable environments.

According to him, the study of snails has brought more benefits than expected. First, it has helped to upgrade Thailand's knowledge to international standards. Second, it has improved the quality of Thai human resources, and third, snails are a major indicator of the fertility of limestone mountains.

"My quest has changed from the search for new species to their genetic qualities and advantages. Now, we are looking at other dimensions," the malacologist remarked.

Since 1996, Somsak and his team, sponsored by the government's Biodiversity Research and Training Programme (BRT), have been conducting research on the taxonomy of micro snails on limestone mountains in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

A shocking pink millipede in a simulated natural habitat. Beside it are two pill millipedes (`king kue krasoon phra in') that are silver and round. — YINGYONG UN-ANONGRAK

According to the professor, the micro snails are less than two millimetres in diameter and must be identified by an electron microscope. Their main habitats in Thailand are Khao Sok Wildlife Sanctuary in Surat Thani, Kaeng Kracharn National Park in Phetchaburi, and some areas in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan and Kanchanaburi. However, these genera have been under threat from deforestation and rock blasting by the cement industry.

In 2000, his team found a new type of tree snail, Amphidromus atricallosus classiarius. It lives only on trees in certain areas of Koh Tachai, off Phangnga. It was later named the "Emerald Shell" by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, since Somsak and his team were then working for the Plant Genetics Conservation Project, initiated by the princess.

Unfortunately, this species is now on the brink of extinction since the tsunami changed Koh Tachai's environment, and tourism has come to the island along with pollution, Somsak said.

In 2004, the hoi siam (spade clam) was found in the Kwae Noi River in Phitsanulok by Somsak and Dr Krisada Deein, of the Fisheries Department. The clam was named Solenaia khwaenoiensis, according to its shape and the location where it was found. It was later announced to the world as a new species in Chulalongkorn University's Natural History Journal.

Over the past few years, Somsak has shifted his focus from snails to millipedes. Research on snails has been continued by his former students, while millipedes are still overlooked by most Thai zoologists, he added.

Last year, Somsak, Dr Chirasak Sutcharit of Chulalongkorn University, and Prof Henrik Enghoff of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, discovered a new species of millipede in a limestone cavern in the Central region of Thailand.

Unlike many of their ground-dwelling relatives, they are active during the day and are brightly coloured. More importantly, this genus exists only in Thailand.

"Ranked third on the world's new species list, this dragon millipede looks like a dragon and is a vibrant, shocking pink colour. It also has the ability to release cyanide when threatened by predators," Somsak said.

According to him, the dragon millipede has 20 to 40 body rings, each with two pairs of legs, and its main predators are small mammals, such as mice and squirrels.

Although there are hundreds of dragon millipedes, inbreeding could lead to extinction, since their offspring will be weaker. Moreover, baby millipedes may be mistaken for insects and unwittingly killed by people, since the young have only six legs.

Another threat is the demand from collectors - offers of up to 30 (1,600 baht) have been seen on some web sites.

"We must make further studies of this exotic genus," Prof Somsak said. "I'm most proud of the discovery of this species for being the first of its kind in Thailand and the world."

He is also gratified with the discoveries of the hoi siam and some new genera of micro snails and tree snails.

"I've been working for almost 30 years. I'm also proud of the discovery of micro snails living on limestone mountains across the country. Those mountains are a mysterious world where trees, animals and almost everything is dwarf-sized," the malacologist added.

According to him, his team has so far discovered nearly 100 new genera of micro snails, or at least one new genus on each surveyed mountain.

Currently, they are working on the five-year BRT millipede and earthworm project. Now in its second year, the project receives around 200,000 baht a year from the BRT.

After five years, the project is expected to continue, with an emphasis on the natural fertiliser produced by millipedes. But it needs additional funding and more experts in various fields.

In the near future, the team's discoveries of some 10 new species of millipedes will be officially reported.

"Studies have unveiled some truths. For instance, millipedes help preserve nature. And we have a plan to ensure the prudent use of millipedes in five years," he said.

Somsak is confident that this new approach will win public acceptance, since many more people have returned to nature and opted for organic products in everyday life and farming.

"We will focus on natural fertilisers. Now, fuel oil is expensive. Insects, millipedes and earthworms are nature's fertiliser producers," the academic added.

To him, his ultimate goal is to prove that Thailand has a rich biodiversity from which Thai people can benefit.

"We must come up with treasure maps. Our country has a lot of treasures in its soil and the Thai people need to know that," Prof Somsak said.

The malacologist added that one way to achieve this goal is to educate local communities by combining modern knowledge and local wisdom.

Over the past two years, members of the Millipede Lovers' Society, started by Somsak, have travelled around the country to learn more about millipedes and educate local communities. The group comprises almost 100 academics and PhD students.

"We have talked to villagers and officers at Pang Sida National Park (in Prachin Buri), and more people in the South about millipedes and other invertebrates. We led local children to observe the way millipedes live so they can explain to other people," he said.

For instance, to differentiate between millipedes (king kue) and centipedes (ta khab), people need to know that centipedes have fangs, but fewer legs (only two on each body ring), but move faster than millipedes. Aiming to expand the programme to cover all of Thailand, the group has encouraged people to learn from their own experiences about the benefits to be gained from small creatures like millipedes and earthworms. This is a step closer to their willingness to protect endangered species.

"We have shown villagers that millipedes don't really bite when touched. And we have given them natural fertiliser produced by millipedes. They used that fertiliser with their plants and it worked," Somsak added.

Nonetheless, such efforts take time to bear fruit. Therefore, support from think-tanks, non-governmental organisations and the state is a must.

According to him, the BRT is a good example. For 10 years, the BRT has funded many research projects with more than 200 million baht in total. These projects have yielded many new experts and nearly 500 new research projects. Moreover, they have brought to light almost 1,000 new genera of fauna and flora.

"Thailand has many more outstanding species waiting to be discovered," remarked Somsak with a clear sense of excitement at the adventures yet to come.