Torrenticola dentirostra 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 dentirostra Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, Georgia, Chattooga County, beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow 1.4 km south of The Pocket Recreation Area, 4 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900077.

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 2 ♂): Georgia, USA: 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Chattooga County, beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow 1.4 km south of The Pocket Recreation Area, 4 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900077 • 2 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Chattooga County, beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow 1.4 km south of The Pocket Recreation Area, 4 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900077 • Tennessee, USA: 1 ♀ from Monroe County, beside Forest Route 35, 2.0 km northeast of road from Rt. 165 to Miller Chapel Baptist Church, (35°21'21"N, 84°9'9"W), 5 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900078 • Virginia, USA: 1 ♀ from Alleghany County, Covington; beside Rt. 18, 0.5 km north of Rt. 657, (37°44'44"N, 80°2'2"W), 13 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900091A.

Type deposition.

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

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola dentirostra are similar to other members of the Nigroalba Group ( T. flangipalpa , T. nigroalba , and T. solisorta ) in being small, slightly elongate, and having purple dorsal coloration restricted posteriorly. T. dentirostra can be differentiated from most Torrenticola (except T. erectirostra , T. karambita , and T. robisoni ) by having a dentate bump midway on the dorsal edge of the rostrum. T. dentirostra can be differentiated from T. karambita , T. erectirostra , and T. robisoni by having a straight rostrum (others have upturned rostra) and by dorsal pattern.

Description.

Female (Figure 54) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (470-560 (470) long; 340-390 (340) wide) ovoid with faint purple coloration restricted posteriorly. Anterio-medial platelets (107.5-120 (107.5) long; 45-47.5 (45) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (157.5-177.5 (157.5) long; 55-62.5 (55) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 240-275 (240)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.38-1.45 (1.38); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.38-1.43 (1.42); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.32-2.67 (2.39); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.84-3.05 (2.86); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.43-1.59 (1.47).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (275-330 (275) long (ventral); 200-247.5 (200) long (dorsal); 77.5-102.5 (77.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (100-120 (100) long; 35-40 (35) wide) with dentate bump midway on dorsal edge. Chelicerae (255-320 (255) long) with curved fangs (45-55 (45) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.22-3.73 (3.55); rostrum length/width 2.80-3.00 (2.86). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions dentate apically on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (30-35 (30) long); femur (92.5-110 (92.5) long); genu (55-67.5 (55) long); tibia (80-92.5 (80) long; 17.5-20 (17.5) wide); tarsus (12.5-15 (13.75) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.62-1.68 (1.68); tibia/femur 0.84-0.88 (0.86); tibia length/width 4.57-4.93 (4.57).

Venter - (610-685 (610) long; 390-425 (390) wide) mostly colorless with faint purple genital plates. Gnathosomal bay (85-110 (85) long; 60-80 (60) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex and ventral. Medial suture (60-70 (60) long). Genital plates (142.5-165 (142.5) long; 120-135 (120) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (230-260 (230) long (total); 140-160 (140) long (medial)); Cx-3 (270-300 (270) wide); anterior venter (210-240 (210) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.30-1.50 (1.42); anterior venter/genital field length 1.42-1.64 (1.47); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.70-1.83 (1.75); anterior venter/medial suture 3.29-3.69 (3.50).

Male (Figure 55) (n = 2) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (480-505 (505) long; 360-360 (360) wide ovoid with faint purple coloration restricted posteriorly. Anterio-medial platelets (110-110 (110) long; 40-42.5 (42.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (162.5-165 (165) long; 50-52.5 (52.5) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 240-245 (240)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.33-1.40 (1.40); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.47-1.50 (1.50); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.59-2.75 (2.59); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 3.14-3.25 (3.14); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.48-1.50 (1.50).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (285-287.5 (287.5) long (ventral); 210-217.5 (217.5) long (dorsal); 77.5-80 (77.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (100-105 (100) long; 32.5-35 (32.5) wide) with dentate bump midway on dorsal edge. Chelicerae (255-265 (265) long) with curved fangs (40-45 (45) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.56-3.71 (3.71); rostrum length/width 3.00-3.08 (3.08). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions dentate apically on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (30-32.5 (32.5) long); femur (90-92.5 (90) long); genu (57.5-57.5 (57.5) long); tibia (82.5-85 (85) long; 17.5-18.75 (18.75) wide); tarsus (12.5-13.75 (13.75) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.57-1.61 (1.57); tibia/femur 0.89-0.94 (0.94); tibia length/width 4.53-4.71 (4.53).

Venter - (610-645 (645) long; 390-400 (400) wide) mostly colorless with faint purple genital plates. Gnathosomal bay (100-107.5 (407.5) long; 70-70 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex and ventral. Medial suture (75-85 (85) long). Genital plates (130-135 (135) long; 102.5-102.5 (102.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (240-250 (250) long (total); 140-147.5 (147.5) long (medial)); Cx-3 (275-280 (275) wide); anterior venter (235-247.5 (247.5) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.43-1.54 (1.54); anterior venter/genital field length 1.81-1.83 (1.83); anterior venter length/genital field width 2.29-2.41 (2.41); anterior venter/medial suture 2.91-3.13 (2.91).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( dentirostra ) refers to the diagnostic tooth-like serrations on the dorsal surface of the rostrum (dentis, L. tooth; rostrum, L. snout).

Distribution.

Southern Appalachians (Figure 53).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola dentirostra 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, small size, elongate subcapitular rostra, elongate pedipalpal tibiae, and dorsal purple coloration restricted to posterior half, place this species in the Raptor Complex and the Nigroalba Identification Group.