Testudacarus oblongatus 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 : 82-86

Taxon classification Animalia Trombidiformes Torrenticolidae

Testudacarus oblongatus O'Neill & Dowling sp. n.

Type series.

Holotype (1♀): Oregon, USA: 1♀ from Curry County, Siskiyou National Forest, confluence of tributary and Wheeler Creek, off NF 1205 (42°4'42.00"N, 124°8'53.00"W), by JR Fisher, JRF13-0814-004 (Specimen 146728 - DNA#2138); Paratypes (11♀, 9♂): British Columbia, Canada: (allotype) 1♂ from Vancouver Island, beside Harris Creek Mainline 5 km west of Old Hillcrest Gate (26 km west of Mesachie Lake) (48°40'7.00"N, 124°13'20.00"W), 3 July 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100095 (Specimen 146776 - DNA#2192); 2♀ and 1♂ from Vancouver Island, beside Harris Creek Mainline 5 km west of Old Hillcrest Gate (26 km west of Mesachie Lake) (48°40'7.00"N, 124°13'20.00"W), 3 July 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100095; 3♀ and 1♂ from Vancouver Island, beside Highway 4 16.6 km east of road to Ucluelet (Pacific Rim Road) (49°9'N, 125°54'W), 18-19 July 1979, by IM Smith, IMS790047; 1♀ and 3♂ from Bonanza Pass Walker Creek Picnic Area beside Highway 3 between Grand Forks and Castlegar (49°10'N, 118°5'W), 20 July 1988, by IM Smith, IMS880034; 1♂ from Vancouver Island, Honeymoon Bay Wildflower Reserve, (48°49'38.00"N, 124°12'10.00"W), 19 June 1979, by IM Smith, IMS790023A; 1♀ from Vancouver Island, beside Harris Creek Mainline 5 km west of Old Hillcrest Gate (26 km west of Mesachie Lake) (48°40'6.00"N, 124°13'19.00"W), 3 July 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100097; 2♀ from Vancouver Island, beside Harris Creek Mainline 5 km west of Old Hillcrest Gate (26 km west of Mesachie Lake) (48°40'6.00"N, 124°13'16.00"W), 10 July 1988, by IM Smith, IMS880007; California, USA: 1♂ from Monterey County, Los Padres National Forest, Lucia, beside Ferguson-Nacimiento Road 5.6 km east of Route 1 (36°0'3.00"N, 121°28'31.00"W), 3 June 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100048; 1♂ from Trinity County, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, beside Route 36 6.2 km west of Forest Glen Station Campground (40°22'57.00"N, 123°23'26.00"W), 11 June 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100061; 1♀ from Trinity County, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, beside Route 36 7 km west of Forest Glen Station Campground (40°23'5.00"N, 123°23'57.00"W), 11 June 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100062; Oregon, USA: 1♀ from Curry County, Siskiyou National Forest, confluence of tributary and Wheeler Creek, off NF 1205 (42°4'42.00"N, 124°8'53.00"W), by JR Fisher, JRF13-0814-004.

Type deposition.

Holotype (1♀), allotype (1♂), and ten paratypes (6♀, 4♂) deposited at CNC; nine paratypes (5♀, 4♂) at ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Since morphological variation is limited, a combination of morphology and distribution is best used to diagnosed members of the complex. These mites occur along the western coast of Washington, Oregon, California, and British Columbia, while Testudacarus elongatus occur in Washington within and east of the Cascade Mountains, and Testudacarus rectangulatus occur in the Olympic Mountains. These mites differ from others in the complex in having less robust platelets and a smaller lateral-platelet-4 that has a noticeable gap between it and lateral-platelet-2. Reversely lateral-platelet-4 tends to be larger in the other two species of the complex than Testudacarus oblongatus , and is in direct or near direct contact with lateral-platelet-2.

Description.

Female (n=11) with characteristics of genus with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [192-208 ventral length; 116-132 dorsal length; 120-134 tall] ovoid with short rostrum. Chelicerae [149-166 long] unmodified with lightly curved fangs [33-36 long]. Pedipalp [231-242 long] unmodified. Trochanter [31-36 long; 30-33 wide]. Femur [58-63 long; 45-49 wide]. Genu [53-59 long; 36-38 wide]. Tibia [64-69 long; 22-25 wide]. Tarsus [20-25 long; 11-12 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 47) - [826-915 long; 539-623 wide] oblong and colorless. Dorsal plate [695-779 long; 446-449 wide]. Primary sclerotization [617-701 long]. Dorso-glandularia-4 [188-280 apart] slightly anterior to [0-26] and well lateral to [42-82] muscle scars. Platelets colorless. Anterio-medial platelet [182-211 long; 101-120 wide] trapeziform to nearly triangular (posterior margin strongly shortened). Anterio-lateral platelets [213-244 long; 111-135 wide] near rectangular and without noticeable bump. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [60-80 long; 46-54 wide]; lateral-2 [149-180 long; 39-50 wide]; lateral-3 [30-50 long; 18-28 wide]; lateral-4 [158-193 long; 33-46 wide]; lateral-5 [44-72 long; 25-48 wide]; lateral-6 [128-142 long; 31-53 wide]; lateral-7 [52-89 long; 25-40 wide].

Venter (Fig. 47) - [1022-1095 long; 586-664 wide] oblong. Primary sclerotization [860-947 long] extensive. Gnathosomal bay [74-109 dorsal length; 176-190 ventral length; 78-116 wide]. Coxal field [603-632 long; 424-507 wide]. Coxa-I [288-319 long; 112-137 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [123-136 distance to top of coxa-II; 222-238 distance to top of coxa-III; 413-456 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 298-330 total length] extensive. Coxa-IV [385-425 distance to top; 196-218 total length]. Genital field [415-446 distance to top; 618-656 distance to bottom; 196-210 total length; 155-178 width; 239-267 distance from gnathosomal bay; 117-137 distance from coxa-I; 278-335 distance to excretory pore; 402-452 distance to caudad]. Eggs [173-175 long; 1-2 eggs]. Distance to excretory pore [902-983].

Legs - colorless. Total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [623-676 total; trochanter 72-85; basifemur 106-115; telofemur 85-94; genu 114-129; tibia 123-137; tarsus 109-120]. Leg-II [642-689 total; trochanter 75-80; basifemur 108-117; telofemur 88-94; genu 115-135; tibia 131-152; tarsus 119-133]. Leg-III [710-777 total; trochanter 70-80; basifemur 106-126; telofemur 92-100; genu 129-151; tibia 151-172; tarsus 146-161]. Leg-IV [941-1001 total; trochanter 106-125; basifemur 135-150; telofemur 139-146; genu 188-199; tibia 197-215; tarsus 160-178].

Male (n=9) similar to female except for sexually dimorphic characters previously discussed and with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [153-177 ventral length; 99-118 dorsal length; 98-110 tall]. Chelicerae [123-148 long]. Fangs [28-32 long]. Pedipalp [201-231 long]. Trochanter [29-33 long; 27-30 wide]. Femur [51-55 long; 37-46 wide]. Genu [44-55 long; width 32-37 wide]. Tibia [54-66 long; 20-23 wide]. Tarsus [19-22 long; 10-12 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 48) - [683-775 long; 405-496 wide]. Dorsal plate [566-648 long; 356-437 wide] occasionally with minute area of secondary sclerotization. Dorso-glandularia-4 [139-231 apart] roughly equal distance anterior to [22-85] and lateral to [25-60] muscle scars. Anterio-medial platelet [156-186 long; 90-119 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelets [180-213 long; 87-110 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [44-60 long; 32-50 wide]; lateral-2 [105-161 long; 25-42 wide]; lateral-3 [33-70 long; 18-27 wide]; lateral-4 [105-150 long; 25-41 wide]; lateral-5 [44-65 long; 28-41 wide]; lateral-6 [85-105 long; 29-40 wide]; lateral-7 [54-76 long; 25-39 wide].

Venter (Fig. 48) - [809-936 long; 432-551 wide]. Primary sclerotization [724-863 long]. Gnathosomal bay [69-88 dorsal length; 133-168 ventral length; 59-99 wide]. Coxal field [491-577 long; 331-424 wide]. Coxa-I [235-279 long; 102-117 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [100-120 distance to top of coxa-II; 178-210 distance to top of coxa-III; 365-432 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 265-315 total length]. Coxa-IV [323-381 length to top; 168-202 total length]. Genital field [381-458 distance to top; 550-636 distance to bottom; 161-185 total length; 119-130 width; 248-298 distance from gnathosomal bay; 146-187 distance from coxa-I; 174-241 distance to excretory pore; 250-314 distance to caudad]. Genital skeleton [225-255 long; 123-152 wide]. Distance to excretory pore [724-863].

Legs - total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [526-617 total; trochanter 57-69; basifemur 90-103; telofemur 75-90; genu 100-116; tibia 105-124; tarsus 97-116]. Leg-II [536-629 total; trochanter 59-70; basifemur 87-106; telofemur 73-86; genu 100-117; tibia 106-134; tarsus 104-123]. Leg-III [589-691 total; trochanter 60-73; basifemur 89-111; telofemur 71-90; genu 115-130; tibia 123-151; tarsus 128-147]. Leg-IV [810-878 total; trochanter 92-101; basifemur 112-125; telofemur 114-127; genu 144-177; tibia 158-188; tarsus 143-168]

Etymology.

Specific epithet oblongatus (oblong-, L. rather long) referring to the oblong idiosoma.

Distribution.

West coast of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California.