Lithobius (Sinuispineus), Chang & Pei & Zhu & Ma, 2020

Chang, Xiaodong, Pei, Sujian, Zhu, Chunying & Ma, Huiqin, 2020, An unusual new centipede subgenus Lithobius (Sinuispineus), with two new species from China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), ZooKeys 980, pp. 43-55 : 43

Subgenus Sinuispineus subgen. nov.

Type species.

Lithobius (Sinuispineus) sinuispineus sp. nov.

Diagnosis.

Sinuispineus subgen. nov. differs from the other subgenera of Lithobius in having curving posterior spurs on dorsal side of the femur of male leg 15; the prefemur and femur and tibia of male leg 15 markedly incrassate; prefemur and femur and tibia of male legs 14 also thicker than legs 1-13. Antennae 20-25 articles, 9-13 ocelli in three irregular rows, posterior two ocelli comparatively large; Tömösváry’s organ larger than the adjacent ocelli; prosternal teeth commonly 2+2, rarely 3+3; posterior angles of all tergites without triangular projections; coxal pore formula 3-6 in one row; tarsal articulation ill-defined on legs 1-13, well-defined on legs 14 and 15; female gonopods with 2+2 moderately small coniform spurs; male gonopods short and small.

Etymology.

To emphasize the obviously curved posterior spurs on the dorsal side of the femur of the male leg 15.

Distribution.

Fujian and Henan provinces, China.

Remarks.

Lithobius (Sinuispineus) is identified as a member of Lithobiidae based on the following: forcipular pleurites not meeting ventrally, male gonopods not visible, 9-13 ocelli, antennomeres 20 or thereabouts, posterior angles of all tergites rounded, spiracle lacking on the first leg-bearing segment, spurs lacking on tibia, and at least some legs with regularly disposed distal spurs on various articles. Lithobius (Sinuispineus) is morphologically similar to Lithobius (Monotarsobius) Verhoeff, 1905 but can be readily distinguished by the following characters: posterior spurs on the dorsal side of the femur of legs 15 in males are curved in Sinuispineus in contrast to straight in Monotarsobius ; tarsal articulation ill-defined on legs 1-13 versus very faint or indistinct in Monotarsobius ; 9-13 ocelli versus ocelli generally few, 1+1-1+11, in Monotarsobius .