Two localities were reported in the original description, Hagiang, Haut Tonkin [Hà Giang Province, northern Vietnam], and Thakek, Laos [Thakhek, Khammouane Province, Laos].

Syntypes NHMW Inv. No. 8234, two females labeled “Scolopendra subspinipes cingulatoides Attems, 1934 typus by Attems”, Thakek, Laos (Figs 50, 51).

Thailand — ZMUC 1/7.59, one adult female and 13 juvenile spms., labeled as “Scolopendra subspinipes”, Phu Kradueng, Loei, 1300 m, evergreen forest, 24/11/1958, leg. B. Degerbol. CUMZ 00294 two adult spms., Wat Thang Biang, Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchsrima (14°32'22.0"N, 101°21'54.6"E). CUMZ 00290, one spm., Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve Center, Nakon Ratchasima (14°30'36.5"N, 101°55'51.5"E). CUMZ 00272.1–2, two spms., Saphan Hin Waterfall, Khlong Yai, Trad (12°06'06.0"N, 102°42'39.2"E)

Malaysia — NHMUK.1950.4.19.12, one spm., Kelantan, Malay Peninsula (labeled as “Scolopendra subspinipes”).

17–18 antennal articles, 6 basal articles glabrous dorsally. Each tooth-plate with 5–10 teeth. Tergites 2(3)-20 with paramedian sutures. Complete tergite margination from TT11–21. Tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment without depression or suture. Paramedian sutures on anterior 15–60% of sternites. Coxopleural process with 2–3 apical+subapical spines. Ultimate leg prefemora with 1–2 VL, 0–2 M, 0–2 DM, prefemoral process with 1–5 spines. One tarsal spur on legs 1–19.

Body length up to 16.2 cm (14.7 and 15.1 cm in syntypes). Reddish colouration on entire body. Cephalic plate and tergites dichromatic. Cephalic plate and tergites reddish orange; posterior border of tergites with dark band. Cephalic plate with small punctae; median sulcus present. Posterior part of cephalic plate without paramedian sulci.

Antenna usually with 18 articles (sometimes 17 on one side in some specimens), basal 6 subcylindrical and glabrous dorsally (Fig. 52A), 5–5.5 articles glabrous ventrally. Antennae reach segment 4. Forcipular trochanteroprefemoral process with denticles in two groups, one apical and 2–3 inner. Anterior part of coxosternite with tooth-plates, wider than long or nearly equivalent, 5–7 robust teeth (Figs 48A, 52D–F); atypically with 10 teeth (CUMZ 00272). Tooth-plate with straight, transverse suture. Coxosternal surface smooth, without median suture (Figs 48B, 52B). Article 2 of second maxillary telopodite with spur.

Anterior margin of T1 underlying cephalic plate (Fig. 48C). Complete paramedian sutures on TT2–3; margination typically from TT11–14. Tergite surfaces (Figs 49A, 52C) smooth, without median sulci. Tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment (Figs 49B, 53E) curved posteriorly, without median furrow or depression; ratio of width: length of tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment 0.7:1. Anterior part of sternites (Figs 48D, 53A) with short paramedian sutures reaching approximately 15–30% (atypically, to 60% in one specimen: CUMZ 00272). Surface of sternites smooth, mostly with depression (small circular pit present on posterior median part of sternite in one specimen: CUMZ 00294). Sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment (Fig. 49D) with sides converging posteriorly. Pore-field on coxopleuron terminating beneath margin of tergite of ultimate leg-bearing segment, dorsal margin of pore area sinuous, most elevated anteriorly.

Coxopleural process moderately long or short with two apical spines and one subapical spine (atypically only two apical spines; Fig. 53F); pore-free area extending 65–90% length from distal part of coxopleural process to margin of sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment (Figs 49D, 53D).

All legs without setae and tibial spur. One tarsal spur on legs 1–19. Ultimate legs: thick and moderately long (Figs 49C, 53D), with ratios of lengths of prefemur and femur 1.3:1, femur and tibia 1.3:1, tibia and tarsus 2 1.8:1, tarsus 1 and tarsus 2 1.7:1. Prefemora flattened dorsally (atypically rounded; Figs 49F–G, 53B), with robust blackish spines. Prefemoral spines (Figs 49E, 51E–F): 1–2 VL, 0–2 M, 0–2 DM, prefemoral process with 1–3 spines, atypically with 5 spines (Figs 49G, 53B). Posterior margin of prefemur with shallow median groove

Genital segments well developed, reaching longer than distance between posterior margin of sternite of ultimate leg-bearing segment and distal part of coxopleural process. Sternite of genital segment 1 round and convex posteriorly, with median suture (Fig. 28C–D). Sternite of genital segment 2 developed. Gonopod absent in male. Lamina subanalis between genitalia and anal valve; lamina analis between anal valve and tergite of genital segment. Tergite and sternite of genital segments with small setae. Penis with apical bristle.

This species is distinguished from Scolopendra subspinipes by its short, robust ultimate legs and three apical/subapical spines on the coxopleural process. The characteristic of incomplete paramedian sutures on the sternites further distinguishes it from Scolopendra subspinipes and Scolopendra japonica (which have complete paramedian sutures on the sternites). However, Scolopendra dawydoffi is similar to Scolopendra multidens in the absence of gonopods in the male. The distribution of Scolopendra dawydoffi is restricted to mainland Southeast Asia whereas Scolopendra multidens occurs in temperate regions of Asia, including both inland and insular parts. A specimen identified as Scolopendra multidens from Vietnam is genetically differentiated from Thai populations (see discussion of Scolopendra multidens above for molecular arguments in favour of the two taxa being separate species). Moreover, to test the hypothesis that characteristics of Scolopendra dawydoffi might indicate affinities to the cingulata group (with reference to the Mediterranean species Scolopendra cingulata; Attems 1930a), as implied by the original “cingulatoides” name for Scolopendra dawydoffi, our phylogenetic analysis included Scolopendra cingulata sequences from Spain. The result (Fig. 1) demonstrated that Scolopendra dawydoffi was not grouped together with Scolopendra cingulata but should be recognized as a distinct species based on its genetic distance and geographical distribution. A morphological comparison between these two species is presented in Table 10.

This species was formerly reported from only two occurrences in Southeast Asia, one in each of Laos and Vietnam (Attems 1938). We add more material from Thailand and some adjacent areas based on museum collections. The updated distribution range (Fig. 29) is as follows: Southeast Asia: Thailand (Nakhon Ratchasima, Loei and Trad), Laos (Thakhek), Malaysia (Kelantan state) and Vietnam (fide Tran et al. 2013: Ha Giang, Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Ha Tinh).