Testudacarus elongatus 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 : 77-80

Taxon classification Animalia Trombidiformes Torrenticolidae

Testudacarus elongatus O'Neill & Dowling sp. n.

Type series.

Holotype (1♀): Washington, USA: 1♀ from Okanogan County, Okanogan National Forest, Early Winters Creek, (48°35'55.00"N, 120°35'20.00"W), 29 July 2013, by JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0729-004 (Specimen 138495 - DNA#1522); Paratypes (7♀, 4♂): Washington, USA: (allotype) 1♂ from Okanogan County, Okanogan National Forest, Early Winters Creek, (48°35'55.00"N, 120°35'20.00"W), 29 July 2013, by JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0729-004 (Specimen 141889 - DNA#1797); 1♂ from Whatcom County, Mount Baker National Forest, Porcupine Creek, (48°31'51.00"N, 120°44'42.00"W), 29 July 2013, by JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0729-003; 2♀ and 2♂ from Okanogan County, Okanogan National Forest, Early Winters Creek, (48°35'55.00"N, 120°35'20.00"W), 29 July 2013, by JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0729-004; 1♀ from Snohomish County, Mount Baker National Forest, tributary of South Fork of Sauk River, (48°1'40.00"N, 121°26'24.00"W), 28 July 2013, JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0728-003; 1♀ from Okanogan County, Okanogan National Forest, North Fork of Twentymile Creek, (48°43'7.00"N, 119°56'14.00"W), 29 July 2013, by JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0729-007; 3♀ from Okanagan County, North Fork of Salmon Creek, (48°37'48.00"N, 119°48'52.00"W), 29 July 2013, by JC O’Neill and WA Nelson, JNOW13-0729-008.

Type deposition.

Holotype (1♀), allotype (1♂), and four paratypes (3♀, 1♂) deposited at CNC; six paratypes (4♀, 2♂) at ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Since morphological variation is limited, a combination of morphology and distribution is best used to diagnose members of the complex. These mites occur in Washington within and east of the Cascade Mountains, while Testudacarus rectangulatus occur in the Olympic Mountains, and Testudacarus oblongatus occur along the western Coast of Washington, Oregon, California, and British Columbia. Additionally, both Testudacarus rectangulatus and these mites differ from Testudacarus oblongatus in having more robust lateral platelets; most notably, lateral-platelet-4 tends to be larger in these two species than Testudacarus oblongatus , and is in direct or near direct contact with lateral-platelet-2. Reversely, Testudacarus oblongatus generally have less robust platelets and a smaller lateral-platelet-4 that has a noticeable gap between it and lateral-platelet-2. Limited specimens were found of Testudacarus elongatus and Testudacarus rectangulatus , but Testudacarus rectangulatus appear to have leg and pedipalp measurements roughly 10% larger than Testudacarus elongatus even between individuals of similar idiosoma size. More data is needed to better diagnose these species.

Description.

Female (n=8) with characteristics of genus with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [174-175 ventral length; 110-118 dorsal length; 102-122 tall] ovoid with short rostrum. Chelicerae [140-163 long] unmodified with lightly curved fangs [33-37 long]. Pedipalp [221-248 long] unmodified. Trochanter [28-38 long; 32-36 wide]. Femur [60-64 long; 45-50 wide]. Genu [51-59 long; 37-43 wide]. Tibia [61-69 long; 24-28 wide]. Tarsus [20-25 long; 10-12 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 44) - [765-861 long; 507-563 wide] oblong and colorless. Dorsal plate [661-723 long; 407-470 wide]. Primary sclerotization [599-650 long]. Dorso-glandularia-4 [163-216 apart] lateral to [23-68] and around the anterior tips of muscle scars. Platelets colorless. Anterio-medial platelet [173-207 long; 101-117 wide] trapeziform to nearly triangular (posterior margin strongly shortened). Anterio-lateral platelets [199-224 long; 105-123 wide] near rectangular. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [55-66 long; 45-62 wide]; lateral-2 [137-173 long; 35-52 wide]; lateral-3 [23-48 long; 18-24 wide]; lateral-4 [166-188 long; 34-51 wide]; lateral-5 [46-70 long; 26-39 wide]; lateral-6 [118-144 long; 30-45 wide]; lateral-7 [66-78 long; 32-38 wide].

Venter (Fig. 44) - [947-1051; 536-682 wide] oblong. Primary sclerotization [798-880 long]. Gnathosomal bay [86-108 dorsal length; 138-178 ventral length; 63-95 wide]. Coxal field [185-198 long; 366-479 wide]. Coxa-I [260-307 long; 118-133 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [95-134 distance to top of coxa-II; 190-221 distance to top of coxa-III; 383-432 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 273-314 total length]. Coxa-IV [362-394 distance to top; 182-207 total length]. Genital field [383-419 distance to top; 568-614 distance to bottom; 185-198 total length; 140-166 width; 221-262 distance from gnathosomal bay; 102-132 distance from coxa-I; 265-298 distance to excretory pore; 377-443 distance to caudad]. Eggs [270 long; 1-2 eggs]. Distance to excretory pore [846-910].

Legs - colorless. Total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [561-614 total; trochanter 63-66; basifemur 101-114; telofemur 79-93; genu 103-116; tibia 110-127; tarsus 96-109]. Leg-II [559-623 total; trochanter 56-65; basifemur 96-120; telofemur 75-88; genu 103-116; tibia 120-128; tarsus 107-120]. Leg-III [630-703 total; trochanter 60-80; basifemur 97-116; telofemur 79-96; genu 116-139; tibia 136-152; tarsus 129-140]. Leg-IV [863-920 total; trochanter 98-109; basifemur 126-140; telofemur 130-140; genu 172-189; tibia 183-194; tarsus 152-167].

Male (n=4) similar to female except for sexually dimorphic characters previously discussed and with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [148-160 ventral length; 98-108 dorsal length; 95-100 tall]. Chelicerae [135-140 long]. Fangs [30-31 long]. Pedipalp [208-215 long]. Trochanter [30-31 long; 28-33 wide]. Femur [53-60 long; 40-44 wide]. Genu [47-52 long; width 33-35 wide]. Tibia [55-61 long; 23-25 wide]. Tarsus [20-21 long; 10-12 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 45) - [680-759 long; 426-480 wide]. Dorsal plate [564-647 long; 359-404 wide] occasionally with minute area of secondary sclerotization. Dorso-glandularia-4 [180-198 apart] roughly equal distance anterior to [31-60] and lateral to [50-63] muscle scars. Anterio-medial platelet [160-177 long; 98-104 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelets [189-217 long; 100-115 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [38-52 long; 38-47 wide]; lateral-2 [147-155 long; 39-46 wide]; lateral-3 [29-52 long; 15-22 wide]; lateral-4 [138-161 long; 35-43 wide]; lateral-5 [41-60 long; 28-32 wide]; lateral-6 [93-107 long; 30-42 wide]; lateral-7 [60-66 long; 26-38 wide].

Venter (Fig. 45) - [830-890 long; 497-578 wide]. Primary sclerotization [764-812 long]. Gnathosomal bay [72-85 dorsal length; 137-157 ventral length; 71-86 wide]. Coxal field [530-564 long; 372-390 wide]. Coxa-I [233-268 long; 96-112 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [95-114 distance to top of coxa-II; 180-201 distance to top of coxa-III; 376-418 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 281-311 total length]. Coxa-IV [333-368 length to top; 187-211 total length]. Genital field [392-436 distance to top; 562-615 distance to bottom; 169-179 total length; 120-128 width; 256-283 distance from gnathosomal bay; 159-173 distance from coxa-I; 170-220 distance to excretory pore; 244-299 distance to caudad]. Genital skeleton [220-238 long; 145 wide]. Distance to excretory pore [764-812].

Legs - total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [531-558 total; trochanter 54-65; basifemur 95-99; telofemur 75-80; genu 98-104; tibia 105-111; tarsus 100-105]. Leg-II [549-572 total; trochanter 59-65; basifemur 93-101; telofemur 73-79; genu 98-105; tibia 112-120; tarsus 100-109]. Leg-III [577-610 total; trochanter 64-69; basifemur 93-105; telofemur 75-84; genu 106-119; tibia 122-135; tarsus 117-131]. Leg-IV [765-812 total; trochanter 91-100; basifemur 110-120; telofemur 115-121; genu 153-171; tibia 152-168; tarsus 140-152].

Etymology. Specific epithet elongatus (elong-, L. extend) refers to the elongate idiosoma of adults.

Distribution.

Within and east of the Cascade Mountains, Washington.