A new species of Validifemur Ma, Song & Zhu, 2007 (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae) from northwest China.

Background: The myriapod fauna of China is still poorly known and very little attention has been paid to the study of Lithobiomorpha, with only more 100 species/subspecies hitherto known from the country, amongst which are only three species of Validifemur. Here we are describing a new species from northwest China. New information: A new lithobiid species, Validifemurradispinipes sp. n., is described and illustrated from Wolong Mountain Park, Jingyuan County, Guyuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwest China. The new species is compared with V.pedodontus Ma, Song & Zhu, 2007 from Shaanxi Province, China. Type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Myriapodology, School of Life Sciences, Hengshui University, Hengshui, China.

Lithobius (Monotarsobius) tetrasulcus sp. n., a new species of centipede from China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

BACKGROUND: The myriapod fauna of China is still poorly known and very little attention has been paid to the study of Lithobiomorpha, with only 100 species and subspecies known from the country. Altogether, 11 species of subgenusMonotarsobius have been recorded from China, but only two of them have been reported from Hebei Province. Herein, a new species recently discovered in the Hebei Province, China, is described and illustrated. NEW INFORMATION: A new lithobiids species Lithobius (Monotarsobius) tetrasulcus sp. n. is described and illustrated from Hengshui Lake National Nature Reserve, Hebei Province, China. The new species is compared with Lithobius (Monotarsobius) crassipes Koch, 1862 from Taiwan, China. It can be easily distinguished from congeners by having a longitudinal groove on the dorsal side of the femur and tibia of the male legs 14 and 15, only having a posterior spine on the dorsal side of femur of legs 12-15, lacking robust spines lying dorsally on the external margin on the second article of the female gonopods and the third article of the female gonopods having a bidentate apical claw.

A new species of Hessebius Verhoeff, 1941 (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae) from China with a key to species.

BACKGROUND: The myriapod fauna of China is still poorly known and very little attention had been paid to the study of Lithobiomorpha, with only 100 species/subspecies hitherto known from the country, among which are only seven species of Hessebius. Here we are describing a new species of the genus Hessebius. NEW INFORMATION: A new lithobiid species, Hessebiuscrassifemoralis sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Hengshui Lake National Nature Reserve, Hebei Province, China. The new species is compared with H.luquensis Qiao, Qin, Ma, Su & Zhang, 2018 from Gansu Province, China. A key to Chinese species, based on adult specimens, is provided. Type specimens and other material are deposited in the School of Life Sciences, Hengshui University, Hengshui, China.

An unusual new centipede subgenus Lithobius (Sinuispineus), with two new species from China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

The present study describes a new Lithobiomorpha subgenus, Lithobius (Sinuispineus)subgen. nov., and two new species, L. (Sinuispineus) sinuispineussp. nov. and L. (Sinuispineus) minuticornissp. nov. from China. The representatives of the new subgenus are characterized by a considerable sexual dimorphism of the ultimate leg pair 15, having the femur and tibia unusually enlarged in males, and the dorsal side of the femur with curved posterior spurs. These features distinguish Lithobius (Sinuispineus)subgen. nov. from all other subgenera of Lithobius. The diagnosis and the main morphological characters of the new subgenus and of the two new species are given for both male and female specimens.

Lithobius (Ezembius) varioporus, a new species from eastern China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

Lithobius (Ezembius) varioporussp. nov. (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Longquanguan Town, Fuping County, Baoding City, Hebei Province, China, is described. Morphologically it resembles to Lithobius (Ezembius) laevidentata Pei, Ma, Hou, Zhu & Gai, 2015 from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by the Tömösváry's organ, slightly smaller than the adjoining ocelli, no secondary sexual modifications on male tibia 14 and 15, posterior accessory spine of legs 14 and 15 present and the number of coxal pores varying considerably from three to eight. The main morphological characters of the known Chinese species of the subgenusEzembius Chamberlin, 1919 based on adult specimens are presented.

Lithobius (Ezembius) ternidentatus sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), a new species from China.

Lithobius (Ezembius) ternidentatussp. n. (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Wuyuezhai Mountain, Lingshou County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, China, is described. Morphologically it resembles L. (E.) multispinipes Pei, Lu, Liu, Hou, Ma & Zapparoli, 2016, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by having a different sized Tömösváry's organ, different numbers of ocelli, obvious differences in ventral plectrotaxy of legs 14, and tarsal articulation ill-defined on legs 1-13, well-defined on legs 14-15. The main morphological characters of the known Chinese species of the subgenus Ezembius Chamberlin, 1919 based on adult specimens is presented.

Australobiustracheoperspicuus sp. n., the first subterranean species of centipede from southern China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

Australobiustracheoperspicuus sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae) was recently discovered from the Cave of the brickyard of Gaofeng village, in the Guizhou Province, southwest China, and it is described here. Morphologically the new species is similar to A.magnus (Trozina>, 1894) from north-western China. The new species can be easily distinguished from those by the trachea connected to the valve of the TIII clearly visible from the dorsal side, the absence of ocelli on each side of the cephalic plate, the DaC spine being only present on the XIIIth-XVth legs. Numbers of examined specimens, distribution and the main morphological characters and an identification key to the known Chinese species of genus Australobius based on adult specimens is given.

Hessebius luculentus, a new species of the genus Hessebius Verhoeff, 1941 from China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

Hessebius luculentussp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Shandan County, Zhangye City, Province Gansu, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, is described. Morphologically it resembles H. jangtseanus (Verhoeff, 1942), but can be easily distinguished from the latter by size of Tömösváry's organ's, the morphological characters of a protuberance on the dorsal end of the second article of the female gonopods; and obvious differences in the dorsal plectrotaxy of both the 14th and 15th legs. The main morphological characters and a key to the known Chinese species of genus Hessebius based on adult specimens are presented.

Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus, a new species of centipede from northwest China (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

Lithobius (Ezembius) tetraspinus sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Hami City, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, NW China, is described. Morphologically this species resembles L. (E.) sibiricus, Gersfeldt, 1858, but is distinguishable by a different coxal pore formula, absence of accessory spurs on leg 15, morphology of the second article of the female gonopod, and legs 14 plectrotaxy. A table of the main morphological characters of Chinese Lithobius (Ezembius) species is presented.

Lithobius (Ezembius) multispinipes n. sp., a new species of centipede from NorthWest China (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae).

The centipede subgenus Lithobius (Ezembius) Chamberlin, 1919 comprises a group of about 60 species known from the Near East across Siberia and Central Asia to China, and Japan, and Southwards into the Northern Indian subcontinent and the Northern part of the Oriental region (Eason 1992, Zapparoli 1999). It is also known from Alaska in Western North America (Zapparoli & Edgecombe 2011). Although the subgenus was formally proposed as new and described in 1923 (Chamberlin 1923), according to Jeekel (2005) its name had been already validated in 1919 (Chamberlin 1919). Ezembius is characterized by the presence of 2+2 or 3+3 coxosternal teeth, antennal articles fixed at 20 or thereabouts, tergites generally without posterior triangular projections and tarsal articulation of legs 1-13 distinct (Chamberlin 1923, Zapparoli & Edgecombe 2011).

[Competition Results of Parasitic Disease Control Techniques among Technician in Hubei Province in 2015].

Objective: Objective To understand the qualification of technicians in parasitic disease control in Hubei Province by analyzing the rusults of technique competition in 2015. Methods: Provincial competitions on basic knowledge and on skills were conducted among 68 technicians in 17 cities （prefectures） in May 2015. The results were collected and analyzed with SPSS18.0 software. Scores were descriptively analyzed, and group comparisons were made by t-test and ANOVA. Results: The average score of the 68 competitors was 77.6, with a passing rate of 76.5%. In detail, the average scores of blood slide-making, Plasmodium detection, Kato-Katz slide-making and helminth egg detection were 9.3（passing rate, 98.5%）, 14.2 （32.4%）, 8.6 （98.53%） and 22.6 （27.9%） respectively. The average scores on theoretical knowledge and blood slide-making of female competitors were （84.5±17.3） and （9.4±0.4）, respectively, significantly higher than those of the males （70.7±21.1, 9.1±0.9 respectively） （P<0.05）. The scores of Plasmodium microscopy and egg microscopy were higher in competitors from counties［（16.3±8.0）, （25.8±12.0）］ than in those from cities/prefectures ［（12.5±6.5）, （20.0±10.8）］ （P<0.05）. In addition, the average scores on theoretical knowledge and egg dection were higher in competitors from districts with schistosomiasis control task ［（84.4±18.4）, （25.4±11.0）］ than in those from areas without schistosomiasis control task［（61.1±14.7）, （16.0±10.8）］（P<0.05）. There were no statistically significant differences in scores of various items among competitors of different ages and with professional ranks (P>0.05). Conclusion: There is a good overall performance among the professionals but an imbalance in detecting capability in different areas. The microscopic examination skill also needs to be improved.

[Epidemiological analysis of malaria prevalence in Hubei Province in 2013].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the endemic situation of malaria in Hubei Province in 2013, so as to put forward effective elimination strategies and measures. METHODS: The data of malaria cases were searched from the Disease Reporting Information System of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and analyzed with the descriptive epidemiological method for the epidemiological characteristics of malaria in Hubei Province in 2013. RESULTS: A total of 129 malaria cases were reported in Hubei Province in 2013 with the incidence of 0.02/10,000, and all of them were imported cases, in which 86 cases with Plasmodium falciparum infection, 32 cases with P. vivax infection, 7 cases with P. ovale infection and 4 cases with P. malariae infection. The distribution of malaria cases was concentrated in Wuhan City (76 cases), Yichang City (10 cases), Xiangyang City (7 cases) and Huangshi City (6 cases), accounting for 76.74% of the total cases. There was no significant seasonal variation in the reporting time of the cases. Totally 99.22% of the cases were male, the age distribution concentrated mainly on 20-49 years. The occupation distribution concentrated mainly on the worker, farmer, cadre staff and migrant worker. The main original areas of the imported cases were Africa (111 cases, 86.05%) and Asia (17 cases, 13.18%). CONCLUSIONS: There is no local malaria cases reported in Hubei Province in 2013, however, the imported malaria cases are increased. Therefore, it is necessary to further strengthen the multi-sector collaboration of vector control, while the health education should be intensified especially in the key population.

An annotated checklist of Lithobiomorpha of China.

The lithobiomorph centipede fauna of China is listed here based on literature data. A total of 68 species in 15 genera/subgenera in 2 families, Henicopidae and Lithobiidae, has been recorded from China. Three genera and forty-four species are known only from China, including the monotypic genera Pterygotergum and Hedinobius. The original descriptions of 16 nominal species were based on specimens of single sex only and 13 nominal species of Lithobius have never been allocated to a subgenus. Lithobius (Lithobius) zhui Pei, Ma, Shi, Wu & Gai, 2011 is moved to subgenus Lithobius (Ezembius). Distribution data for each species is provided here to promote further studies on the Lithobiomorpha fauna of China. 

Lithobius (Monotarsobius) zhangi sp. n., a new species from Eastern China (Chilopoda, Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

Lithobius (Monotarsobius) zhangisp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Nanshan Park, Yantai City, Shandong Province, and Wuyishan County, Nanping City, Fujian Province, from China, is described. Morphologically it resembles Lithobius (Monotarsobius) songi Pei, Ma, Shi, Wu, Zhou, 2011 from Province Hebei, China, but can be readily distinguished from the latter by antennae composed of 15+15-19+19 articles versus 19+19-21+21 articles, terminal claw of female gonopods inner tooth broader than the outer vs dorsal and ventral tooth about same in size, ventral plectrotaxy 01320, dorsal plectrotaxy 10210 in the 14th legs, 01210 and 10200 respectively in Lithobius (Monotarsobius) songi. A key to the Lithobius (Monotarsobius) species of China and Korea is presented.

[Epidemic situation and control strategy of imported malaria in Hubei Province from 2006 to 2011].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the characteristics of imported malaria in Hubei Province so as to provide the evidence for formulating the prevention and control strategy. METHODS: The data of all imported malaria cases from 2006-01 to 2011-07 were retrospectively analyzed, and at the same time, the imported malaria cases since 2010 were interviewed through telephone and the cases since 2011-05 were interviewed face to face. All data were analyzed with EpiInfo. RESULTS: There were 195 imported malaria cases from 2006-01-01 to 2011-07-07, and there was a rising trend but there was no obvious difference among seasons. The interval between the disease onset and diagnosis was shorter in high educated people than low educated people (chi2 = 10.93, P < 0.01) and in the severe cases than the slight cases (chi2 = 4.58, P < 0.05). The severe rates of malaria cases were 70.4% and 82.9% in the low educated group and the high educated group, respectively (chi2 = 7.02, P < 0.01). Non-condition regression analysis showed that there were three influence factors which affected severe malaria, including whether or not self-treatment instead of seeing doctor when being fever; whether or not having health education before going abroad; whether or not considering malaria of the initial diagnosis doctor. CONCLUSION: It is very important to strengthen the personnel abroad malaria health education, the malaria blood smear microscopic inspection in medical institutions, and the initial diagnosis doctor's awareness on malaria.

Lithobius (Monotarsobius) monoforaminis sp. n., a new species of lithobiid centipede from central China (Chilopoda, Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae).

The present paper describes a new species Lithobius (Monotarsobius) monoforaminissp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae) recently discovered from Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, Central China. Morphologically it resembles Lithobius (Monotarsobius) minimus Farzalieva, 2006 from Eastern Kazakhstan, but could be well distinguished from the latter having only one pore on the coxae of legs 12-15 and different plectrotaxy, and by lacking a wart on the male tibia 15. A key to the Chinese Lithobius (Monotarsobius) species is presented.

A new species of Lithobius (Monotarsobius) Verhoeff, 1905 (Lithobiomorpha, Lithobiidae) from China.

The present paper deals with a new species of the genus Lithobius Leach, 1814, Lithobius (Monotarsobius) songi sp. n.(Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae) recently discovered in Hebei Province, China. Morphologically it resembles Lithobius (Monotarsobius) holstii (Pocock, 1895) from China and Japan but could be well distinguished from latter by havinga Tömösváry's organ slightly smaller than the adjoining ocelli, different leg plectrotaxy and tridentate claw of female gonopods. A key to the Chinese Lithobius (Monotarsobius)species is presented.