Testudacarus hitchensi O'Neill & Dowling

O'Neill, Joseph C., Fisher, J. Ray, Nelson, Whitney A., Skvarla, Micheal J., Fisher, Danielle M. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2016, Systematics of testudacarine torrent mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae) with descriptions of 13 new species from North America, ZooKeys 582, pp. 13-110 : 44-48

Taxon classification Animalia Trombidiformes Torrenticolidae

Testudacarus hitchensi O'Neill & Dowling sp. n.

Type series.

Holotype (1♀): North Carolina, USA: 1♀ from Haywood, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Creek, beside Mount Sterling Road at Hannah Hoglen Cemetery site (35°38'29.00"N, 83°3'22.00"W), 22 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100154 (Specimen 141898 - DNA#1493); Paratypes (9♀, 10♂): North Carolina, USA: (allotype) 1♂ from Haywood, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Creek, beside Mount Sterling Road at Hannah Hoglen Cemetery site (35°38'29.00"N, 83°3'22.00"W), 22 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100154 (Specimen 146756 - DNA#2171); 1♀ and 2♂ from Haywood, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Creek, beside Mount Sterling Road at Hannah Hoglen Cemetery site (35°38'29.00"N, 83°3'22.00"W), 22 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100154; 2♀ and 1♂ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Creek, beside Mount Sterling Road near bridge 1.7km north of road to campground (35°38'45.00"N, 83°4'32.00"W), 20 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100150; 2♂ from Macon County, Rainbow Springs, beside Forest Road 67 4.4 km south of Standing Indian Campground (35°3'6.00"N, 83°30'45.00"W), 1 July 2006, by IM Smith, IMS060040; 2♂ from Yancey County, Pisgah National Forest, South Toe River, Lost Cove beside Toe River Road (Forest Road 472) 0.4km east of Forest Road 2074 (35°45'0.00"N, 82°12'53.00"W), 9 September 2007, IM Smith, IMS070059; 1♀ from Yancey County, Pisgah National Forest, South Toe River, Lost Cove Picnic Area beside Toe River Road (Forest Road 472) 2.8 km east of Route 80 (35°45'13.00"N, 82°12'42.00"W), 27 September 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090127; Tennessee, USA: 1♂ from Monroe, beside Forest Route #35 2.3km northeast of road from Route 165 to Miller Chapel Baptist Church (35°21'47.00"N, 84°9'47.00"W), 12 September 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090112; 3♀ and 1♂ from Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bullhead Branch, Sugarlands Nature Trail off Route 441/71 (35°40'47.00"N, 83°31'52.00"W), 7 September 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090101; 1♀ from Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bullhead Branch, Sugarlands Nature Trail off Route 441/71 (35°40'48.00"N, 83°31'53.00"W), 3 September 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090095; Georgia, USA: 1♀ from Floyd County, beside road from Everrett Springs to Villanow 1.4 km south of The Pocket Recreation Area, 4 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900077.

Paratypes examined but measurements not included.

(1♀, 2♂): North Carolina, USA: 1♀ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Creek, beside Mount Sterling Road near bridge 1.7km north of road to campground (35°38'45.00"N, 83°4'32.00"W), 20 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100150; 1♂ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, tributary of Hemphill Creek, Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center near Ferguson Cabin site, (35°34'56.00"N, 83°4'30.00"W), 21 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100153; Tennessee, USA: 1♀ from Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Catron Branch, Elkmont Road off Little River Road (35°39'51.00"N, 83°35'19.00"W), 24 September 2010, IMS100156.

Type deposition.

Holotype (1♀), allotype (1♂), and eight paratypes (4♀, 4♂) deposited at CNC; ten paratypes (5♀, 5♂) at ACUA.

Diagnosis.

These mites differ from all others in the complex in having large medial pores on the dorsal plate surrounded by a ring of smaller pores (all pores uniform in other species). Males also have a “bleached” or colorless area posterior to the coxal plate that is colored in other members of the complex.

Description.

Female (n=10) with characteristics of genus with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [165-175 ventral length; 99-106 dorsal length; 90-100 tall] ovoid with short rostrum. Chelicerae [139-150 long] unmodified with lightly curved fangs [29-32 long]. Pedipalp [192-205 long] unmodified. Trochanter [25-28 long; 29-32 wide]. Femur [54-57 long; 37-40 wide]. Genu [40-46 long; 29-33 wide]. Tibia [51-55 long; 20-23 wide]. Tarsus [19-21 long; 10-11 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 24) - [591-669 long; 445-504 wide] round to ovoid. Dorsal plate [485-556 long; 375-424 wide] with noticeable pore variation: medial pores large surrounded by smaller distal pores. Primary sclerotization [425-470 long] violet to blue. Dorso-glandularia-4 [124-175 apart] lateral to [19-43] and around the anterior tips of the muscle scars. Platelets violet to blue or colorless. Anterio-medial platelet [146-168 long; 81-101 wide] colorless rounded trapezoid noticeably smaller than anterio-lateral platelets. Anterio-lateral platelet [170-197 long; 89-102 wide] with violet to blue restricted to posterior half or third of the platelet. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [53-69 long; 46-57 wide]; lateral-2 [125-140 long; 35-52 wide]; lateral-3 [39-53 long; 20-27 wide]; lateral-4 [96-115 long; 32-43 wide]; lateral-5 [50-62 long; 29-39 wide]; lateral-6 [81-96 long; 29-43 wide]; lateral-7 [61-77 long; 27-33 wide].

Venter (Fig. 24) - [765-870; 482-553 wide] round to ovoid. Primary sclerotization [631-717 long] violet to blue. Gnathosomal bay [71-90 dorsal length; 149-170 ventral length; 53-62 wide]. Coxal field [482-543 long; 325-409 wide]. Coxa-I [256-289 long; 99-126 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [118-140 distance to top of coxa-II; 187-215 distance to top of coxa-III; 347-401 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 224-264 total length]. Coxa-IV [333-375 distance to top; 139-168 total length]. Genital field [329-382 distance to top; 493-542 distance to bottom; 158-172 total length; 125-150 width; 178-212 distance from gnathosomal bay; 69-100 distance from coxa-I; 175-234 distance to excretory pore; 272-349 distance to caudad]. Eggs [150-168 long; 1-4 eggs]. Distance to excretory pore [688-777].

Legs - orange and restricted violet to blue. Total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [473-524 total; trochanter 60-62; basifemur 83-93; telofemur 65-76; genu 86-95; tibia 92-105; tarsus 83-95]. Leg-II [501-552 total; trochanter 54-63; basifemur 83-93; telofemur 65-72; genu 88-99; tibia 101-111; tarsus 102-115]. Leg-III [586-635 total; trochanter 61-65; basifemur 89-100; telofemur 70-80; genu 105-113; tibia 122-137; tarsus 132-144]. Leg-IV [805-876 total; trochanter 93-109; basifemur 115-132; telofemur 115-125; genu 151-167; tibia 167-180; tarsus 158-177].

Male (n=10) similar to female except for sexually dimorphic characters previously discussed and with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [150-160 ventral length; 95-106 dorsal length; 86-95 tall]. Chelicerae 127-139 long]. Fangs [26-29 long]. Pedipalp [180-195long]. Trochanter [25-27 long; 27-30 wide]. Femur [50-55 long; 34-37 wide]. Genu [38-41 long; width 26-29 wide]. Tibia [49-52 long; 19-22 wide]. Tarsus [17-20 long; 9-11 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 25) - [491-567 long; 387-436 wide]. Dorsal plate [404-474 long; 326-375 wide]. Dorso-glandularia-4 [116-152 apart] far anterior to [53-75] and lateral to [13-32] muscle scars. Anterio-medial platelet [137-152 long; 71-91 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelets [163-184 long; 74-88 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [45-54 long; 37-44 wide]; lateral-2 [101-120 long; 34-41 wide]; lateral-3 [39- 50 long; 19-32 wide]; lateral-4 [74-110 long; 30-35 wide]; lateral-5 [46-58 long; 25-33 wide]; lateral-6 [53-75 long; 27-34 wide]; lateral-7 [46-62 long; 24-33 wide].

Venter (Fig. 25) - [641-718 long; 418-481 wide]. Primary sclerotization [593-671 long]. Gnathosomal bay [62-89 dorsal length; 131-164 ventral length; 45-67 wide]. Coxal field [441-500 long; 309-340 wide]. Coxa-I [233-276 long; 95-114 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [105-128 distance to top of coxa-II; 171-202 distance to top of coxa-III; 357-409 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 245-288 total length]. Coxa-IV [304-355 length to top; 127-159 total length]. Genital field [378-440 distance to top; 524-598 distance to bottom; 143-157 total length; 115-131 width; 239-284 distance from gnathosomal bay; 143-173 distance from coxa-I; 55-91 distance to excretory pore; 110-153 distance to caudad]. Genital skeleton [190-207 long; 115-126 wide]. Distance to excretory pore [593-671].

Legs - total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [444-508 total; trochanter 55-62; basifemur 75-89; telofemur 63-73; genu 80-91; tibia 85-99; tarsus 84-96]. Leg-II [474-533 total; trochanter 60-64; basifemur 77-90; telofemur 61-71; genu 82-93; tibia 92-106; tarsus 99-113]. Leg-III [537-598 total; trochanter 57-64; basifemur 80-92; telofemur 65-73; genu 96-108; tibia 113-128; tarsus 121-137]. Leg-IV [721-778 total; trochanter 88-99; basifemur 96-117; telofemur 102-113; genu 135-151; tibia 147-168; tarsus 142-156].

Etymology.

Specific epithet hitchensi after the late Christopher Eric Hitchens, the English author, journalist, and literary critic. As Sam Harris’ wife, Annaka, said: "Nothing Hitchens does is ever boring." Hitchens has inspired thousands of free-thinkers to remain clever and engaged in our attempts to understand the world around us.

Distribution.

Eastern United States east of the Mississippi River with southern limits in Florida.

Remarks.

As it is likely that this species represents a cryptic species complex, measurements were only included from specimens exhibiting less than 2% COI divergence within the clade (those highlighted in red in Fig. 23 were excluded). This was done so measurements would remain useful if more species were diagnosed in the future.