Torrenticola mjolniri 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 mjolniri Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from Canada, Ontario, Hastings County, Maple Leaf, Papineau Creek, beside Hwy 62, 18 Aug 2011, by IM Smith, IMS110054, DNA 2860.

PARATYPES (12 ♀; 12 ♂): Maine, USA: 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Kennebec County, China, beside Causeway along northern shore of China Lake (44°28'45"N, 69°30'43"W), 16 Sep 2003, by IM Smith, IMS030037 • Ontario, Canada: 1 ♂ from Frontenac County, Salmon River, beside Highway 7 north of Arden, 26-28 Aug 1982, by IM Smith, CJ Hill, & C Cramer, IMS820005 • 1 ♂ from Hastings County, Duff Corners, Vanderwater Conservation (44°23'14"N, 77°19'1"W), 13 Aug 2009, by IM Smith & ML MacKenzie, IMS090089A • 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Hastings County, Maple Leaf, Papineau Creek, beside Hwy 62, 18 Aug 2011, by IM Smith, IMS110054, DNA 2857 • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Hastings County, Maple Leaf, Papineau Creek, beside Hwy 62, 18 Aug 2011, by IM Smith, IMS110054 • 6 ♀ and 5 ♂ from Hastings County, Maynooth, Papineau Creek, beside Highway 127, 17 Aug 2011, by IM Smith, IMS110050 & IMS110051 • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Hastings County, Price Conservation Area, Skootamata River, junction of Highways 7 and 37, 20 May 1980, by IM Smith, IMS800009 • 1 ♀ from Muskoka District, Baysville, Echo Lake, bay near Lawsons Cottages, 9-12 Aug 1980, by IM Smith, IMS800015 • 1 ♀ from Muskoka District, Baysville, Echo Lake, 18 Aug 1981, by IM Smith, IMS810023 • Quebec, Canada: 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Gatineau County, Gatineau Park, Lac Philippe, at campground, 2 Jun 1981, by IM Smith & CJ Hill, IMS810001.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and most paratypes (7 ♀; 7 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (5 ♀; 5 ♂) deposited in the ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola mjolniri are similar to other members of the Raptor Group ( T. gnoma , T. irapalpa , T. longitibia , T. elusiva , T. racupalpa , T. raptor , T. danielleae , T. daemon , and T. ivyae ) in having round bodies; Dgl-4 close to muscles scars; long, thin subcapitular rostra; and long, thin pedipalp tibiae. T. mjolniri can be differentiated from T. elusiva , T. gnoma , and T. daemon by having more elongate pedipalp tibiae (length/width = 5.00-6.00 in T. mjolniri , 3.88-4.67 in others) and a more elongate rostrum (length/width = 3.81-4.32 in T. mjolniri , 2.56-3.65 in others). T. mjolniri can be differentiated from T. racupalpa by having a longer anterior venter (♀ = 180-195 in T. mjolniri , 152.5-165 in T. racupalpa ; ♂ = 230-255 in T. mjolniri , 200-205 in T. racupalpa ) and by dorsal pattern. T. mjolniri can be differentiated from T. irapalpa and T. danielleae by having Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars (dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 = 2.2-2.48 in T. mjolniri , 1.42-2.09 in others); having a more elongate rostrum (3.81-4.32 in T. mjolniri , 2.66-3.75 in others); and by dorsal pattern. Male T. mjolniri can be differentiated from T. longitibia (only males) by having Dgl-4 closer to the edge of dorsum (dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 = 2.2-2.32 in T. mjolniri , 2.46-2.71 in T. longitibia ); stockier pedipalp tibiae (length/width = 5.0-5.33 in T. mjolniri , 5.5-5.5 in T. longitibia ); and a more elongate subcapitulum (ventral length/height = 2.82-3.0 in T. mjolniri , 2.68-2.73 in T. longitibia ). T. mjolniri can be differentiated from T. raptor by having Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars (dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 = 2.2-2.48 in T. mjolniri , 1.68-2.02 in T. raptor ) and a stockier subcapitulum (ventral length/width ♀ = 2.68-2.9 in T. mjolniri , 2.98-3.18 in T. raptor ; ♂ = 2.82-3.0 in T. mjolniri , 3.13-3.27 in T. raptor ). Additionally, female T. mjolniri have a shorter anterior venter (180-195 in ♀ T. mjolniri , 205-240 in ♀ T. raptor ). Female T. mjolniri can be differentiated from female T. ivyae by having a larger dorsum (length ♀ = 605-640 in T. mjolniri , 550-590 in T. ivyae ; width ♀ = 510-545 in T. mjolniri , 460-500 in T. ivyae ) and a longer anterior venter (♀ 180-195 in T. mjolniri , 155-170 in T. ivyae ). Male T. mjolniri can be differentiated from male T. ivyae by having a more elongate subcapitulum (ventral length/width = 2.82-3.00 in T. mjolniri , 2.57-2.75 in T. ivyae ). Additionally, T. mjolniri can be differentiated from T. ivyae by being distributed in the northeast ( T. ivyae is known from Florida).

Description.

Female (Figure 150) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (605-640 (605) long; 510-545 (520) wide) circular with navy blue to purple coloration posteriorly and a small spot anteriorly often connected medially with a thin strip that is occasionally orange. Anterio-medial platelets (130-150 (135) long; 67.5-70 (67.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (182.5-200 (187.5) long; 67.5-70 (67.5) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars than to edge dorsum (distance between Dgl-4 207.5-245 (210)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.16-1.24 (1.16); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 2.22-2.48 (2.48); anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.86-2.14 (2.00); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.11-2.38 (2.27); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.22-1.46 (1.39).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (342.5-355 (342.5) long (ventral); 255-277 (262.5) long (dorsal); 122.5-128.75 (126.25) tall) colorless. Rostrum (142.5-151.25 (151.25) long; 35-38.75 (35) wide). Chelicerae (355-383 (360) long) with curved fangs (52.5-55 (52.5) long) elongate. Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.68-2.90 (2.71); rostrum length/width 3.81-4.32 (4.32). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibiae) with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (47.5-47.5 (47.5) long); femur (130-135 (130) long); genu (65-70 (65) long); tibia (110-112.5 (112.5) long; 18.75-22.5 (18.75) wide); tarsus (15-17.5 (15) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.86-2.00 (2.00); tibia/femur 0.83-0.87 (0.87); tibia length/width 5.00-6.00 (6.00).

Venter - (780-825 (790) long; 536-621 (570) wide) often colorless, occasionally areas surrounding coxae are navy blue to purple. Gnathosomal bay (170-175 (175) long; 70-82.5 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (15-20 (15) long). Genital plates (160-173.75 (170) long; 142.5-152.5 (142.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (305-330 long (total); 132-164 (162.5) long (medial)); Cx-3 (332-383 wide); anterior venter (180-195 (187.5) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.06-2.50 (2.50); anterior venter/genital field length 1.07-1.22 (1.10); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.18-1.32 (1.32); anterior venter/medial suture 9.00-12.50 (12.50).

Male (Figure 151) (n = 6) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (520-580 (520) long; 430-450 (430) wide) circular with navy blue to purple coloration posteriorly and a small spot anteriorly often connected medially with a thin strip that is occasionally orange. Anterio-medial platelets (120-135 (122.5) long; 60-67.5 (60) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (175-200 (185) long; 67.5-77.5 (70) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars than to edge dorsum (distance between Dgl-4 185-205 (195)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.21-1.29 (1.21); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 2.20-2.32 (2.21); anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.85-2.04 (2.04); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.34-2.67 (2.64) anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.40-1.51 (1.51).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (305-325 (305) long (ventral); 233-241 (233) long (dorsal); 105-112.5 (107.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (130-140 (130) long; 32.5-32.5 (32.5) wide). Chelicerae (297-322 (297) long) with curved fangs (48-55 (49) long) elongate. Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.82-3.00 (2.84); rostrum length/width 4.00-4.31 (4.00). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibiae) with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (42.5-42 (42.5) long); femur (115-122.5 (117.5) long); genu (60-65 (65) long); tibia (100-102.5 (102.5) long; 18.75-20 (20) wide); tarsus (17.5-17.5 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.81-1.96 (1.81); tibia/femur 0.82-0.87 (0.87); tibia length/width 5.00-5.33 (5.13).

Venter - (670-740 (670) long; 459-504 (479) wide) often colorless, occasionally areas surrounding coxae are navy blue to purple. Gnathosomal bay (142.5-160 (145) long; 60-67.5 (67.5) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (62.5-85 (62.5) long). Genital plates (137.5-147.5 (137.5) long; 115-142.5 (115) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (275-324 (287) long (total); 139-152 (139) long (medial)); Cx-3 (307-371 (324) wide); anterior venter (230-255 (230) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.15-2.46 (2.15); anterior venter/genital field length 1.60-1.76 (1.67); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.79-2.00 (2.00); anterior venter/medial suture 3.00-3.68 (3.68).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( mjolniri ) named after Mjölnir-the hammer of Thor in Norse mythology-the ancient symbol of which resembles the dorsal patterning this species.

Distribution.

Northeastern (Figure 149).

Remarks.

Torrenticola mjolniri groups with other members of the Raptor Complex with high support and all specimens are less than 2% different in COI sequence from each other. In all analyses, T. mjolniri groups with T. longitibia , and these species are more than 4% different in COI sequence from each other. The position of that clade varies with dataset. Based upon overall similarity, phylogenetic position, shape of the pedipalps, and distribution, we were able to place this species within the Raptor Identification Group.

This species hypothesis is supported by low COI divergence within the species (0-2%) and high divergence between species (3-15%), and by the morphological characters outlined in the diagnosis.