Testudacarus harrisi 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 : 48-52

Taxon classification Animalia Trombidiformes Torrenticolidae

Testudacarus harrisi O'Neill & Dowling sp. n.

Type series.

Holotype (1♀): 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 (Specimen 146752 - DNA#2166); Paratypes (12♀, 10♂): North Carolina, USA: (allotype) 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 (Specimen 146750 - DNA#2164); Tennessee, USA: 1♂ from Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Crosby Creek, Cosby Recreation Area beside Cosby Campground Road 0.3km from Route 321 (35°46'54.00"N, 83°13'2.00"W), 16 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100140; 2♀ and 2♂ 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; 1♂ from Blount County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove, near parking lot for Abrams Falls Trail (35°35'26.00"N, 83°51'10.00"W), 17 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100143; 2♀ from Sevier Co, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Bullhead Branch, Sugarlands Nature Trail off Route 441/71 (35°40'47.00"N, 83°31'51.00"W), 10 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100125; North Carolina, USA: 2♀ and 2♂ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Creek, beside Cataloochee Road 0.3km north of Cataloochee Campground (35°38'1.00"N, 83°5'2.00"W), 6 September 2009, IMS090097; 2♀ and 1♂ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Big Creek, Waterville Big Creek Picnic Area (35°44'59.00"N, 83°6'42.00"W), 16 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100138; 1♀ 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; 1♂ 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 Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rough Fork Creek, beside road to Nellie 0.3 km west of Pretty Hollow Gap Trailhead (35°37'31.00"N, 83°6'46.00"W), 20 September 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100148; Pennsylvania, USA: 1♀ from Fayette County, State Game Lands #51, Dunbar Creek, off Furnace Hill Road east of Dunbar (39°57'50.00"N, 79°35'8.70"W), 10 August 2014, MJ Skvarla, MS14-0810-001.

Type deposition.

Holotype (1♀), allotype (1♂) and ten paratypes (5♀, 5♂) deposited at Canadian National Collection; eleven paratypes (7♀, 4♂) at ACUA.

Diagnosis.

These mites have violet to blue coloration over the majority of their anterio-lateral platelets while the rest of the complex have coloration restricted to the posterior half of the platelet.

Description.

Female (n=13) with characteristics of the genus with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [143-165 ventral length; 90-105 dorsal length; 84-95 tall] ovoid with short rostrum. Chelicerae [119-136 long] unmodified with lightly curved fangs [24-32 long]. Pedipalp [167-191 long] unmodified. Trochanter [23-30 long; 29-31 wide]. Femur [47-53 long; 33-38 wide]. Genu [37-42 long; 27-30 wide]. Tibia [40-53 long; 17-22 wide]. Tarsus [15-20 long; 9-12 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 26) - [527-617 long; 420-482 wide] ovoid. Dorsal plate [375-495 long; 355-515 wide]. Primary sclerotization [358-419 long] violet to blue. Dorso-glandularia-4 [113-167 apart] lateral to [16-42] and around the anterior tips of the muscle scars. Platelets violet to blue or clear. Anterio-medial platelet [112-144 long; 70-94 wide] colorless rounded trapezoid noticeably smaller than anterio-lateral platelets. Anterio-lateral platelets [156-183 long; 74-86 wide] mostly violet to blue with anterio-most corner generally colorless; anterio-medial corner often with orange spot. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [38-50 long; 35-44 wide]; lateral-2 [103-133 long; 30-40 wide]; lateral-3 [29-45 long; 16-30 wide]; lateral-4 [90-119 long; 26-37 wide]; lateral-5 [47-64 long; 22-34 wide]; lateral-6 [65-90 long; 27-34 wide]; lateral-7 [56-69 long; 24-36 wide].

Venter (Fig. 26) - [668-786 long; 453-509 wide] round to ovoid. Primary sclerotization violet to blue. Gnathosomal bay [61-78 dorsal length; 128-156 ventral length; 45-56 wide]. Coxal field [418-480 long; 281-363 wide]. Coxa-I [213-254 long; 85-105 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [109-131 distance to top of coxa-II; 170-195 distance to top of coxa-III; 295-356 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 186-234 total length]. Coxa-IV [291-335 distance to top; 125-154 total length]. Genital field [284-335 distance to top; 426-489 distance to bottom; 139-154 total length; 114-127 width; 152-184 distance from gnathosomal bay; 65-82 distance from coxa-I; 167 -207 distance to excretory pore; 241-307 distance to caudad]. Distance to excretory pore [593-693].

Legs - violet to blue and orange. Total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [449-485 total; trochanter 54-62; basifemur 77-83; telofemur 62-70; genu 80-90; tibia 89-99; tarsus 80-90]. Leg-II [471-510 total; trochanter 54-60; basifemur 74-84; telofemur 61-66; genu 82-94; tibia 98-107; tarsus 87-109]. Leg-III [548-612 total; trochanter 55-64; basifemur 79-91; telofemur 66-74; genu 96-114; tibia 116-137; tarsus 119-141]. Leg-IV [737-825 total; trochanter 79-99; basifemur 103-123; telofemur 103-121; genu 138-154; tibia 154-169; tarsus 147-167].

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

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [133-144 ventral length; 83-90 dorsal length; 72-84 tall]. Chelicerae [110-120 long]. Fangs [25-30 long]. Pedipalp [168-183 long]. Trochanter [22-25 long; 25-29 wide]. Femur [45-50 long; 32-36 wide]. Genu [36-40 long; width 24-30 wide]. Tibia [44-52 long; 18-20 wide]. Tarsus [16-20 long; 8-11 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 27) - [418-488 long; 312-380 wide]. Dorsal plate [340-402 long; 271-322 wide]. Dorso-glandularia-4 [89-129 apart] far anterior to [31-71] and lateral to [12-24] muscle scars. Anterio-medial platelet [111-132 long; 63-80 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelets [141-164 long; 63-79 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [30-38 long; 29-32 wide]; lateral-2 [85-96 long; 24-33 wide]; lateral-3 [30-40 long; 15-25 wide]; lateral-4 [61-78 long; 21-32 wide]; lateral-5 [35-44 long; 18-27 wide]; lateral-6 [38-56 long; 19-27 wide]; lateral-7 [39-50 long; 17-29 wide].

Venter (Fig. 27) - [544-612 long; 346-399 wide]. Primary sclerotization [504-578 long]. Gnathosomal bay [49-64 dorsal length; 119-133 ventral length; 48-54 wide]. Coxal field [387-443 long; 272-316 wide]. Coxa-I [210-229 long; 88-96 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [97-112 distance to top of coxa-II; 156-173 distance to top of coxa-III; 312-346 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 215-240 total length]. Coxa-IV [267-297 length to top; 120-154 total length]. Genital field [329-369 distance to top; 451-501 distance to bottom; 121-132 total length; 97-104 width; 208-238 distance from gnathosomal bay; 119-143 distance from coxa-I; 53-79 distance to excretory pore; 93-111 distance to caudad]. Genital skeleton [150-167 long; 77-92 wide]. Distance to excretory pore [504-578].

Legs - total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [419-451 total; trochanter 45-56; basifemur 70-77; telofemur 58-68; genu 74-82; tibia 81-90; tarsus 79-84]. Leg-II [429-472 total; trochanter 47-52; basifemur 69-77; telofemur 56-63; genu 76-86; tibia 86-98; tarsus 93-99]. Leg-III [491-540 total; trochanter 49-53; basifemur 70-86; telofemur 59-66; genu 89-98; tibia 107-120; tarsus 114-124]. Leg-IV [665-739 total; trochanter 74-90; basifemur 95-109; telofemur 95-108; genu 128-138; tibia 139-150; tarsus 131-145].

Etymology.

Specific epithet after Samuel Benjamin Harris, the American author, philosopher, and co-founder of Project Reason. Sam Harris, more than any speaker and author, has challenged my (JCO) views and assumptions and kept me on my toes.

Distribution.

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