Torrenticola folkertsae 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 folkertsae Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, New Hampshire, Coos County, picnic area beside Rt. 110 ca. 1 km east of Stark, (44°36'36"N, 71°24'24"W), 5 July 1989, by IM Smith, IMS890071

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 4 ♂): 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Coos County, New Hampshire picnic area beside Rt. 110 ca. 1 km east of Stark, (44°36'36"N, 71°24'24"W), 5 July 1989, by IM Smith, IMS890071 • 4 ♀ and 4 ♂ from Coos County, picnic area beside Rt. 110 ca. 1 km east of Stark, (44°36'36"N, 71°24'24"W), 5 July 1989, by IM Smith, IMS890071.

Type deposition.

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

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola folkertsae are similar to other members of the Partial 2-Plate Group ( T. magnexa , T. priapus , and T. pulchra ) in having anterio-lateral platelets partially fused to the dorsal plate and being distributed in the east. T. folkertsae can be differentiated from T. magnexa and T. pulchra by having more elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width = 4.05-4.83 in T. folkertsae , 2.61-4.00 in others) and by dorsal coloration and pattern. T. folkertsae can be differentiated from T. priapus by having more elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width ♀ = 4.5-4.83 in T. folkertsae , 3.9-4.22 in T. priapus ♂ = 4.05-4.33 in T. folkertsae , 3.5-3.78 in T. priapus ) and a less elongate rostrum (length/width = 2.55-3.00 in T. folkertsae , 3.17-3.39 in T. priapus ).

Description.

Female (Figure 82) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (600-720 (720) long; 505-600 (580) wide) ovoid with faint reddish-purple medially. Anterio-medial platelets (140-167.5 (156.25) long; 57.5-70 (65) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (180-205 (185) long; 85-95 (85) wide) partially fused to dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 340-380 (380)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.11-1.24 (1.24); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.40-1.75 (1.53); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.32-2.50 (2.40); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.12-2.31 (2.18); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.12-1.41 (1.18).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (310-345 (345) long (ventral); 240-270 (270) long (dorsal); 145-162.5 (157.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (135-150 (140) long; 50-55 (55) wide). Chelicerae (320-415 (415) long) with curved fangs (65-70 (70) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.07-2.19 (2.19); rostrum length/width 2.55-2.86 (2.55). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (48.75-52.5 (52.5) long); femur (130-145 (145) long); genu (77.5-87.5 (87.5) long); tibia (108.75-120 (118.75) long; 22.5-26.25 (26.25) wide); tarsus (17.5-22.5 (22.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.65-1.68 (1.66); tibia/femur 0.82-0.87 (0.82); tibia length/width 4.50-4.83 (4.52).

Venter - (680-880 (860) long; 560-675 (650) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (167.5-185 (182.5) long; 80-95 (95) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (15-20 (20) long). Genital plates (175-197.5 (197.5) long; 167.5-175 (167.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (300-340 (330) long (total); 127.5-157.5 (145) long (medial)); Cx-3 (380-400 (400) wide); anterior venter (155-180 (180) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.92-2.13 (1.92); anterior venter/genital field length 0.79-1.00 (0.91); anterior venter length/genital field width 0.91-1.07 (1.07); anterior venter/medial suture 8.38-12.00 (9.00).

Male (Figure 83) (n = 5) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (535-580 (570) long; 420-450 (445) wide) ovoid with faint reddish-purple medially. Anterio-medial platelets (125-135 (135) long; 55-65 (55) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (180-187.5 (180) long; 62.5-77.5 (77.5) wide) partially fused to dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 280-310 (310)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.27-1.29 (1.28); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.44-1.54 (1.44); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.04-2.45 (2.45); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.32-2.88 (2.32); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.33-1.48 (1.33).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (265-292.5 (292.5) long (ventral); 210-227.5 (227.5) long (dorsal); 110-115 (110) tall) colorless. Rostrum (110-120 (120) long; 40-42.5 (40) wide). Chelicerae (275-295 (295) long) with curved fangs (55-57.5 (55) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.36-2.66 (2.66); rostrum length/width 2.75-3.00 (3.00). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (42.5-46.25 (45) long); femur (110-116.25 (116.25) long); genu (67.5-72.5 (72.5) long); tibia (97.5-102.5 (102.5) long; 22.5-25 (23.75) wide); tarsus (17.5-20 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.55-1.67 (1.60); tibia/femur 0.88-0.90 (0.88); tibia length/width 4.05-4.33 (4.32).

Venter - (640-685 (680) long; 470-570 (510) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (132.5-150 (142.5) long; 70-80 (75) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (105-125 (115) long). Genital plates (130-145 (145) long; 125-130 (130) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (255-295 (295) long (total); 130-150 (150) long (medial)); Cx-3 (330-365 (340) wide); anterior venter (250-275 (267.5) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.81-2.00 (1.90); anterior venter/genital field length 1.79-1.96 (1.84); anterior venter length/genital field width 2.00-2.16 (2.06); anterior venter/medial suture 2.17-2.45 (2.33).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( folkertsae ) named in honor of Debbie Folkerts, professor of biology at Auburn University, who, together with her late husband George Folkerts, were instrumental to JRF in channeling his passion for natural history and teaching into a career path.

Distribution.

New Hampshire (Figure 81).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola folkertsae 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, distribution, and partial fusion of the dorso-lateral platelets to the dorsal plate, are consistent with placing this species in the Rusetria Complex and the Partial 2-Plate Identification Group.