Torrenticola (Torrenticola) bhutana, Pesic, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2007

Pesic, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2007, First records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Bhutan, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 1613, pp. 45-56 : 50-53

Torrenticola (Torrenticola) bhutana sp. nov.

( Figs. 21–30 )

Type series. Holotype: male ( ZMAN), dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid. Bhutan: Pele La, 01.05.2002, 3200 m asl. Paratypes ( ZMAN, MNHP): four females, same data and place as holotype, one of them dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid.

Diagnosis. Cx-4 posteriorly extended beyond genital field in both sexes; P-2 long and slender, ventral projection on P-2 and P-3 blunt, one (of 4) P-4 ventral setae long.

Description. Male: Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 22 ) L 875, W 625; dorsal shield ( Fig. 21 ) L 706, W 531, L/W ratio; dorsal plate 656; shoulder plate L 209, W 81, L/W ratio 2.6; frontal plate L 153, W 63, L/W ratio 2.4; shoulder/frontal plate L ratio 1.37; gnathosomal bay L 157, Cx-1 total L 344, Cx-1 medial L 187, Cx-2+3 medial 61; ratio Cx-1 L/Cx-2+3 medial L 1.84; Cx-1 medial L/Cx-2+3 medial L 5.6; genital field L/W 172/ 116, L/W ratio 1.48, ejaculatory complex ( Fig. 27 ) L 253; distance genital field–excretory pore 188, genital field–caudal idiosoma margin 288; capitulum ventral L 369; chelicera L 327; palp ( Figs. 23–24 ) total L 287, dL and %L (in parentheses, given as % of total L): P-1 29 (10.1), P-2 98 (34.1), P-3 60 (20.9), P-4 85 (29.6), P-5 15 (5.2); P-2/P-4 ratio 1.15; ventral margin of P-2 slightly convex, ventral projections of P-2 and P-3 blunt, ventral protuberances of P-4 ending in two tips separated by a concavity.

Female: Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 26 ) L 938, W 719, dorsal shield ( Fig. 25 ) L 756, W 588, L/W ratio 1.29; dorsal plate 700; shoulder plate L 268, W 81, L/W ratio 3.3; frontal plate L 166, W 78, L/W ratio 2.1; shoulder/frontal plate L ratio 1.6; gnathosomal bay L 181, Cx-1 total L 356, Cx-1 medial L 175, Cx-2+3 medial 41; ratio Cx-1 L/Cx-2+3 medial L 2.0; Cx-1 medial L/Cx-2+3 medial L 8.7; genital field L/W 197/ 167, L/W ratio 1.18; distance genital field–excretory pore 194, genital field–caudal idiosoma margin 325; capitulum ( Fig. 28 ) ventral L 381; chelicera L 438; palp ( Figs. 29–30 ) total L 306, dL and %L (in parentheses, given as % of total L): P-1 33 (10.8), P-2 108 (35.3), P-3 62 (20.3), P-4 89 (29.1), P-5 14 (4.6); P-2/P-4 ratio 1.21; shape and setation as in male.

Discussion. Due to sub-apical Cx-4, one (of 4) P-4 ventral setae long, a long rostrum, a short median suture line of Cx-2+3 and Cx-4 extended posterior to the genital flaps in both sexes, T. bhutana sp. nov. resembles Torrenticola semisuta (Halík) . T. bhutana sp. nov. can be distinguished from T. semisuta by the shape of the ejaculatory complex (conventional in shape with well-developed proximal horns in T. semisuta - compare Fig. 27 with Fig. 31 ), and the blunt P-2 ventral projection not strongly curved distally (P-2 ventral extension strongly curved distally in T. semisuta ). According to Wiles (1997) the projections of P-2 are probably variable in shape and therefore the blunt projections may not be a good character for separating species. Further differences in T. semisuta regard the shortened postgenital area in male and Cx-4 more strongly extended posterior to the genital flaps in the female.

From T. dolichorhyncha Lundblad , a species similar in the shape of the palp (P-2 long and slender, ventral projections on P-2 and P-3 blunt), T. bhutana sp. nov. can be distinguished by the shape of the ejaculatory complex (conventional in shape – see Lundblad 1969) and Cx-4 are extended posterior to the genital flaps.

Etymology. The species is named after country where it was collected.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Bhutan.

Biology. Torrenticola bhutana sp. nov. is probably a rhitrobiontic species.

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 24. Torrenticola bhutana sp. nov., male: 21 = dorsal shield, 22 = ventral shield; 23 = palp, lateral view; 24 = palp, medial view. Scale bars = 100 m.

FIGURES 25 – 31. 25 – 30 Torrenticola bhutana sp. nov. (25 – 26, 28 – 30 = female, 27 = male): 25 = dorsal shield, 26 = ventral shield; 28 = capitulum, 27 = ejaculatory complex, 29 = palp, lateral view; 30 = palp, medial view. 31 Torrenticola semisuta (Halík), male, India (Garhwal Himalaya): 31 = ejaculatory complex. Scale bars = 100 m.