Torrenticola cardia 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 cardia Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, New York, Greene County, beside Rt. 23A, 9.6 km west of Rt. 296 (Hunter), (42°14'14"N, 74°19'19"W), 22 June 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900052

PARATYPES (9 ♀; 8 ♂): New York, USA: 3 ♀ and 3 ♂ from Cayuga County, beside Route 38A at Niles, (42°50'50"N, 76°25'25"W), 22 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900113A • (allotype) 1 ♂ from Greene, beside Rt. 23A, 9.6 km west of Rt. 296 (Hunter), (42°14'14"N, 74°19'19"W), 22 June 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900052 • 2 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Greene County, beside Rt. 23A, 9.6 km west of Rt. 296 (Hunter), (42°14'14"N, 74°19'19"W), 22 June 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900052 • 1 ♀ from Schuyler County, beside Town Line Road off Route 228, 0.6 km south of Perry City, (42°29'29"N, 76°42'42"W), 21 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900112A • Ohio, USA: 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Hocking County, beside road near Ash Cave, (39°24'24"N, 82°33'33"W), 5 May 1993, by IM Smith, DR Cook, IMS930001A • Virginia, USA: 2 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Bath County, beside Rt. 687, 2.4 km south of Bacova, (38°2'2"N, 79°51'51"W), 15 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900097

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and some paratypes (5 ♀; 4 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (4 ♀; 3 ♂) deposited in the ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola cardia are similar to other members of the Tricolor Complex ( T. bittikoferae , T. dimorpha , T. hoosieri , T. kringi , T. larvata , T. mohawk , T. pearsoni , T. olliei , T. sierrensis , T. tricolor , T. trimaculata , and T. unimaculata ,) in having a short, conical rostrum. T. cardia can be differentiated from most Torrenticola , including other members of the Tricolor Complex, by having a distinct dorsal pattern. T. cardia are most similar to other members of the Tricolor Complex that have bold patterning ( T. larvata , T. tricolor , T. unimaculata , T. trimaculata , T. kringi , and T. mohawk ). T. cardia can be differentiated from T. tricolor , T. trimaculata , T. kringi , and T. mohawk by having a more ovoid dorsum (length/width ♀ = 1.39-1.47 in T. cardia , 1.15-1.35 in others; ♂ = 1.43-1.54 in T. cardia , 1.19-1.39 in others). T. cardia can be differentiated from T. unimaculata by dorsal pattern. Female T. cardia can be differentiated from female T. larvata by having a shorter subcapitulum (♀ = 265-273 in T. cardia , 275-288 in T. larvata ) and a larger genital field (length ♀ = 190-198 in T. cardia , 182-188 in T. larvata ; width ♀ = 160-175 in T. cardia , 145-153 in T. larvata ). Male T. cardia can be differentiated from male T. larvata by having less elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width ♂ = 2.82-3.05 in T. cardia , 3.10-3.20 in T. larvata ) and a larger dorsum (length ♂ = 625-670 in T. cardia , 550-610 in T. larvata ; width ♂ = 405-445 in T. cardia , 350-400 in T. larvata ).

Description.

Female (Figure 39) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (710-785 (750) long; 510-555 (510) wide) ellipsoid with reddish-purple, bluish-purple or bright orange spot medially extending in a strip anteriorly often to the anterior-medial platelets. Anterio-medial platelets (130-140 (140) long; 70-75 (75) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (195-207.5 (197.5) long; 70-80 (80) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 390-410 (395)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.39-1.47 (1.47); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.29-1.35 (1.29); anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.86-2.00 (1.87); anterio-lateral platelet length/width X=2.47-2.93 (2.47); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.39-1.50 (1.41).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (265-272.5 (272.5) long (ventral); 180-190 (190) long (dorsal); 125-132.5 (130) tall) with reddish-purple or bluish purple coloration. Rostrum (90-100 (100) long; 40-42.5 (40) wide) short and conical. Chelicerae (250-265 (260) long) with curved fangs (60-60 (60) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.04-2.12 (2.10); rostrum length/width 2.24-2.50 (2.50). Pedipalps with stocky, tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (38.75-42.5 41.25) long); femur (97.5-107.5 (102.5) long); genu (65-70 (67.5) long); tibia (80-91.25 (80) long; 26.25-27.5 (27.5) wide); tarsus (22.5-25 (22.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.50-1.56 (1.52); tibia/femur 0.78-0.87 (0.78); tibia length/width 2.91-3.32 (2.91).

Venter - (830-925 (850) long; 565-600 (565) wide) with reddish-purple or bluish-purple coloration restricted to the edges of the gnathosomal bay, coxal plates, and genital plates. Gnathosomal bay (150-162.5 (155) long; 72.5-80 (72.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (25-50 (50) long). Genital plates (190-197.5 (190) long; 160-175 (162.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (290-310 (290) long (total); 135-165 (135) long (medial)); Cx-3 (355-380 (355) wide); anterior venter (185-212.5 (205) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.94-2.17 (2.14); anterior venter/genital field length 0.94-1.09 (1.08); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.12-1.26 (1.26); anterior venter/medial suture 4.10-7.60 (4.10).

Male (Figure 40) (n = 5) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (625-670 (670) long; 405-445 (445) wide) ellipsoid with reddish-purple, bluish-purple or bright orange spot medially extending in a strip anteriorly often to the anterior-medial platelets. Anterio-medial platelets (120-130 (125) long; 65-72.5 (70) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (170-197.5 (197.5) long; 75-80 (75) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 325-380 (380)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.43-1.54 (1.51); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.17-1.28 (1.17); anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.72-2.00 (1.79); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.25-2.63 (2.63); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.35-1.58 (1.58).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (227.5-250 (250) long (ventral); 165-180 (170) long (dorsal); 90-112.5 (110) tall) with reddish-purple or bluish purple coloration. Rostrum (77.5-92.5 (90) long; 32.5-37.5 (37.5) wide) short and conical. Chelicerae (212.5-230 (225) long) with curved fangs (50-55 (50) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.17-2.56 (2.27); rostrum length/width 2.27-2.47 (2.40). Pedipalps with stocky, tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (36.25-38.75 (36.25) long); femur (87.5-97.5 (92.5) long); genu (60-67.5 (62.5) long); tibia (73.75-82.5 (77.5) long; 25-27.5 (27.5) wide); tarsus (20-25 (22.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.38-1.48 (1.48); tibia/femur 0.82-0.90 (0.84); tibia length/width 2.82-3.05 (2.82).

Venter - (710-780 (780) long; 460-495 (490) wide) with reddish-purple or bluish-purple coloration restricted to the edges of the gnathosomal bay, coxal plates, and genital plates. Gnathosomal bay (125-137.5 (135) long; 67.5-72.5 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (107.5-130 (125) long). Genital plates (150-175 (175) long; 97.5-115 (105) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (265-280 (280) long (total); 140-150 (145) long (medial)); Cx-3 (325-355 (350) wide); anterior venter (265-290 (290) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.85-1.93 (1.93); anterior venter/genital field length 1.66-1.81 (1.66); anterior venter length/genital field width 2.52-2.77 (2.76); anterior venter/medial suture 2.21-2.51 (2.32).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( cardia ) refers to the dorsal coloration, which is either a heart-shaped or resembles a bleeding heart ( kardiá, G. heart).

Distribution.

Appalachians (Figure 38).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola cardia 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 appearance, short conical rostrum that is downturned in the male, and distribution, are consistent with placing this species in the Tricolor Complex and Tricolor Identification Group.