Two new species of Lithobius on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau identified from morphology and COI sequences (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae)

Abstract

Lithobius (Ezembius) longibasitarsussp. n. and Lithobius (Ezembius) datongensissp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae), recently discovered from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, are described. A key to the species of the subgenus Ezembius in China is presented. The partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcoding gene was amplified and sequenced for eight individuals of the two new species and the dataset was used for molecular phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance determination. Both morphology and molecular data show that the specimens examined should be referred to Lithobius (Ezembius).