Torrenticola whitneyae Fisher & Dowling

Fisher, J. Ray, Fisher, Danielle M., Skvarla, Michael J., Nelson, Whitney A. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2017, Revision of torrent mites (Parasitengona, Torrenticolidae, Torrenticola) of the United States and Canada: 90 descriptions, molecular phylogenetics, and a key to species, ZooKeys 701, pp. 1-496 : 1

Torrenticola whitneyae Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, North Carolina, Yancey County, Lost Cove Picnic Area beside Forest Road 472, 2.8 km west of Rt. 80, (35°45'45"N, 82°12'12"W), 12 September 2005, by IM Smith, IMS050074

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 3 ♂): North Carolina, USA: 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Cataloochee; beside Mt. Sterling Rd. near bridge 1.7 km n. of road to Campground, (35°38'38"N, 83°4'4"W), 6 September 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090099 • 2 ♀ from Swain County, Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Deep Creek upstream of picnic area, (35°27'27"N, 83°26'26"W), 14 September 2009, by AJ Radwell, AJR090007A • 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Yancey County, Lost Cove Picnic Area beside Forest Road 472, 2.8 km west of Rt. 80, (35°45'45"N, 82°12'12"W), 12 September 2005, by IM Smith, IMS050074 • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Yancey County, Lost Cove Picnic Area beside Forest Road 472, 2.8 km west of Rt. 80, (35°45'45"N, 82°12'12"W), 12 September 2005, by IM Smith, IMS050074.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and some paratypes (2 ♀; 1 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (2 ♀; 1 ♂) deposited in the ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola whitneyae are similar to other members of the Rusetria "Eastern 2-Plates" group ( T. biscutella , T. caerulea , T. delicatexa , T. indistincta , T. malarkeyorum , T. pendula , T. sellersorum , T. tysoni , T. ululata , T. microbiscutella , and T. feminellai ) in having anterio-lateral platelets fused to the dorsal plate, having dorsal coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions (except T. ululata and T. indistincta ), and being distributed in the east. T. whitneyae is most similar to T. pendula , which also has purple coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions and often connected by a stripe medially. T. whitneyae is best differentiated from T. pendula by having a stockier rostrum (length/width = 2.41-2.69 in T. whitneyae , 2.87-3.06 in T. pendula ). T. whitneyae can be differentiated from T. ululata , T. indistincta , and T. feminellai by dorsal coloration and pattern. T. whitneyae can be differentiated from all other Eastern 2-Plates by having stockier pedipalpal tibiae (♀ = 2.42-2.95 in T. whitneyae , 3.00-4.59 in others; ♂ = 2.48-2.70 in T. whitneyae , 2.78-4.25 in others), except female T. delicatexa (♀ = 2.92-3.61). T. whitneyae can be differentiated from T. delicatexa by having a slightly rounder dorsum (length/width ♀ = 1.26-1.38 in T. whitneyae , 1.38-1.44 in T. delicatexa ; ♂ = 1.35-1.37 in T. whitneyae , 1.44-1.56 in T. delicatexa ) and by dorsal coloration.

Description.

Female (Figure 276) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (550-690 (630) long; 400-520 (500) wide) ovoid with reddish-purple coloration both anteriorly and posteriorly connected medially. Anterio-medial platelets (120-163.75 (142.5) long; 41.25-52.5 (52.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (170-220 (200)) long; 65-85 (85) wide) partially fused, at least posteriorly, to dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 310-385 (370)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.26-1.38 (1.26); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.29-1.37 (1.35); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.71-3.12 (2.71); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.35-2.84 (2.35); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.32-1.42 (1.40).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (310-385 (362.5) long (ventral); 237.5-285 (270) long (dorsal); 145-185 (177.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (125-140 (135) long; 47.5-55 (55) wide). Chelicerae (310-415 (395) long) with curved fangs (65-80 (75) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 1.95-2.14 (2.04); rostrum length/width 2.41-2.63 (2.45). Pedipalps stocky with short, tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (50-56.25 (55) long); femur (67.5-80 (75) long); genu (67.5-80 (75) long); tibia (72.5-80 (80) long; 26.25-30 (28.75) wide); tarsus (17.5-20 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.59-1.71 (1.63); tibia/femur 0.59-0.68 (0.65); tibia length/width 2.42-2.95 (2.78).

Venter - (630-810 (780) long; 470-630 (590) wide) with faint reddish-purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (175-222.5 (210) long; 80-105 (105) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture absent. Genital plates (185-195 (187.5) long; 165-195 (180) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (280-360 (350) long (total); 110-140 (135) long (medial)); Cx-3 (320-435 (405) wide); anterior venter (110-145 (140) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.00-2.59 (2.00); anterior venter/genital field length 0.59-0.75 (0.75); anterior venter length/genital field width 0.67-0.80 (0.78).

Male (Figure 277) (n = 3) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (540-560 (540) long; 395-410 (395) wide) ovoid with reddish-purple coloration both anteriorly and posteriorly connected medially. Anterio-medial platelets (122.5-135 (135) long; 45-50 (50) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (170-170 (170) long; 60-67.5 (60) wide) partially fused, at least posteriorly, to dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 290-310 (295)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.35-1.37 (1.37); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.32-1.38 (1.34); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.55-2.72 (2.70); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.52-2.83 (2.83); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.26-1.39 (1.26).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (290-305 (300) long (ventral); 220-225 (222.5) long (dorsal); 120-135 (135) tall) colorless. Rostrum (107.5-112.5 (112.5) long; 40-42.5 (42.5) wide). Chelicerae (310-310 (310) long) with curved fangs (60-60 (60) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.22-2.42 (2.22); rostrum length/width 2.65-2.69 (2.65). Pedipalps stocky with short, tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (47.5-47.5 (47.5) long); femur (97.5-100 (97.5) long); genu (62.5-62.5 (62.5) long); tibia (65-67.5 (67.5) long; 25-26.25 (25) wide); tarsus (16.25-17.5 (16.25) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.56-1.60 (1.56); tibia/femur 0.65-0.69 (0.69); tibia length/width 2.48-2.70 (2.70).

Venter - (640-680 (640) long; 440-495 (495) wide) with faint reddish-purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (170-175 (170) long; 70-75 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (55-75 (55) long). Genital plates (140-150 (140) long; 130-140 (130) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (290-300 (300) long (total); 110-135 (135) long (medial)); Cx-3 (325-360 (360) wide); anterior venter (195-210 (200) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.33-2.50 (2.43); anterior venter/genital field length 1.37-1.43 (1.43); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.50-1.54 (1.54); anterior venter/medial suture 2.60-3.64 (3.64).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( whitneyae ) named in honor of Whitney Nelson, one of two students (including JRF) of APGD studying water mite taxonomy for their doctoral studies.

Distribution.

Southern Appalachians (Figure 275).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola whitneyae and therefore this species is not included in our phylogenetic analyses. However, we were able to examine morphology with material preserved in GAW. The overall similarity, distribution in the east, and fusion of the dorso-lateral platelets to the dorsal plate, are consistent with placing this species in the Rusetria Complex and within the Eastern 2-Plate Identification Group.