Torrenticola megapalpis, PešićK & K & K, 2022

PešićK, Vladimir, K, Harry Smit & K, Mer Man Gurung, 2022, Torrenticolid water mites of Bhutan. Genera Torrenticola Piersig, 1896 and Neoatractides Lundblad, 1941 (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Torrenticolidae), Acarologia 1941 (3), pp. 821-860 : 853-856

Torrenticola megapalpis sp. nov.

Zoobank: 69C5D39A-0966-483C-93D0-E7F521F065BF Figures 23, 24H–J

Material examined — Holotype ♀, dissected and slide mounted, Bhutan, MG9 Kartigang Chhu , 27.27896°N, 90.63088°E, 1456 m asl, 7.v.2021.

Diagnosis (Male unknown) — Gnathosomal bay shallow; gnathosoma long and narrow, rostrum long; palpal segments long and slender, P-2 ventrally with a flat, blade-like hyaline anterior flange, and a short denticle-like seta, laterally at base of projection.

Description — Female – Idiosoma oval; dorsal shield without a colour pattern (as photographed in Figure 24H); gnathosomal bay shallow; Cxgl-4 subapical; suture lines of Cx-IV distinctly extending posteriorly beyond posterior margin of genital field; excretory and Vgl-2 on the line of primary sclerotization pore; infracapitulum long and narrow, rostrum long ( Figure 23F); P-2 elongated, with a laterally compressed, longish (> 30% of ventral margin), anteriorly directed ventrodistal extension, and a small, denticle-like seta, at base of projection; P-3 with longish, apically serrate, ventrodistal projection, and a small, denticle-like seta laterally at base of projection; P-4 curved, with a well-developed ventral tubercle, located in posterior half of the segment, ending in two tips separated by a concavity, bearing shorter setae ( Figures 23D, E).

Measurements – Idiosoma (ventral view: Figure 23C) L 794, W 494; dorsal shield ( Figure 23B) L 572, W 444, L/W ratio 1.29; dorsal plate L 513; shoulder plate L 213–216, W 81–84,

L/W ratio 2.6; frontal plate L 159, W 69, L/W ratio 2.3; shoulder/frontal plate L 1.33–1.35. Gnathosomal bay L 72, Cx-I total L 306, Cx-I mL 233, Cx-II+III mL 101; ratio Cx-I L/CxII+III mL 3.03; Cx-I mL/Cx-II+III mL 2.3. Genital field L/W 153/131, ratio 1.17; distance genital field-excretory pore 150, genital field-caudal idiosoma margin 219. Gnathosoma vL 353, chelicera L 388; palp total 266, dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 34/19, 1.8; P-2, 81/31, 2.6; P-3,

47/25, 1.9; P-4, 89/17, 5.2; P-5, 15/9, 1.6; L ratio P-2/P-4 0.92. dL of I-L: 42, 73, 63, 86, 98,

105; I-L-6 H 26; dL/H I-L-6 ratio 4.1.

Male – Unknown.

Etymology — The species is named for its long palp.

Discussion — Among the species with a flanged palp and a 4 + 1 arrangement of the dorsal plates, the new species is unique in the combination of long and slender palpal segments, a shallow gnathosomal bay and a long and narrow gnathosoma.

Distribution — Bhutan (this study).