Torrenticola raptoroides 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 raptoroides Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, New Mexico, Catron County, Little Creek, Gila Hot Springs, Little Creek Recreation Area off Route 15, 6 May 2012, by IM Smith, IMS120006, DNA 2895.

PARATYPES (8 ♀; 8 ♂): Arizona, USA: 2 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Coconino County, Oak Creek Canyon, Oak Creek, beside Route 89A, between Banjo Bill & Bootlegger campgrounds, 21 Jul 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870100B • 1 ♀ from Coconino County, Oak Creek Canyon, Oak Creek, beside Route 89A, just north of Pine Flat campground, 21 Jul 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870099B • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Yavapai County, West Clear Creek at Clear creek campground, off Forest Road 9, east of Camp Verde, 22 Jul 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870102 • New Mexico, USA: 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Grant County, East Fork Gila River, Grapevine Recreation Area off Route 15, north of Silver City, 5 May 2012, by IM Smith, IMS120007, DNA 2900 • 1 ♂ from Catron County, Gila River, beside Route 15, just below mouth of Little Creek, 11 Jul 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870083A • 2 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Catron County, Little Creek, Gila Hot Springs, Little Creek Recreation Area off Route 15, 6 May 2012, by IM Smith, IMS120006 • 2 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Catron County, Little Creek, beside Route 15, 65 kilometers north of Route 180 in Silver City, 10 Jul 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870081A.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and most paratypes (5 ♀; 5 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (3 ♀; 3 ♂) deposited in ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola raptoroides are unlike all other western species in having round bodies with dorsal coloration restricted posteriorly and long, thin pedipalp tibiae. Additionally, they are only known from Catron & Grant Counties, New Mexico.

Description.

Female (Figure 215) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (610-690 (650) long; 485-530 (520) wide) ovoid with navy blue coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions with faint orange medially. Anterio-medial platelets (140-167.5 (157.5) long; 56-67.5 (61.25) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (165-200 (195) long; 72.5-82.5 (75) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 295-380 (380)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.19-1.30 (1.25); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.37-1.64 (1.37); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.36-2.60 (2.57); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.27-2.60 (2.60); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.15-1.24 (1.24).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (315-335 (330) long (ventral); 240-250 (249) long (dorsal); 135-140 (137.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (135-142.5 (142.5) long; 40-45 (42.5) wide). Chelicerae (335-360 (345) long) with curved fangs (62-69 (63) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.25-2.48 (2.40); rostrum length/width 3.17-3.38 (3.35). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibiae) with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (40-47.5 (45) long); femur (120-131.25 (131.25) long); genu (63.75-75 (72.5) long); tibia (100-112.5 (112.5) long; 21.25-22.5 (22.5) wide); tarsus (15-17.5 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.60-1.88 (1.81); tibia/femur 0.79-0.94 (0.86); tibia length/width 4.44-5.00 (5.00).

Venter - (710-805 (805) long; 562-600 (562) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (167.5-182.5 (180) long; 72.5-100 (82.5) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (10-17.5 (12.5) long). Genital plates (172.5-182.5 (172.5) long; 167.5-177.5 (167.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (300-311 (311) long (total); 111-140 (112) long (medial)); Cx-3 (350-410 (373) wide); anterior venter (150-187.5 (170) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.83-2.41 (2.18); anterior venter/genital field length 0.86-1.04 (0.99); anterior venter length/genital field width 0.88-1.07 (1.01); anterior venter/medial suture 10.71-16.75 (13.60).

Male (Figure 216) (n = 5) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (530-605 (590) long; 415-500 (455) wide) ovoid with navy blue coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions with faint orange medially. Anterio-medial platelets (130-147.5 (140) long; 50-62.5 (62.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (170-192.5 (177.5) long; 60-77.5 (75) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 290-365 (320)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.21-1.30 (1.30); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.34-1.43 (1.42); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.24-2.60 (2.24); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.33-2.83 (2.37); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.25-1.33 (1.27).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (260-300 (290) long (ventral); 197.5-225 (215) long (dorsal); 105-122.5 (112.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (112.5-127.5 (122.5) long; 37.5-42.5 (40) wide). Chelicerae (255-295 (282) long) with curved fangs (45-64 (64) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.40-2.58 (2.58); rostrum length/width 2.94-3.06 (3.06). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibiae) with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (35-42.5 (40) long); femur (85-113.75 (113.75) long); genu (55-67.5 (67.5) long); tibia (85-107.5 (102.5) long; 20-22.5 (22.5) wide); tarsus (15-17.5 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.55-1.69 (1.69); tibia/femur 0.90-1.00 (0.90); tibia length/width 4.25-4.78 (4.56).

Venter - (630-710 (710) long; 480-580 (498) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (135-162.5 (157.5) long; 60-72.5 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (60-70 (62.5) long). Genital plates (135-155 (147.5) long; 120-130 (127.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (260-300 (280) long (total); 130-155 (131) long (medial)); Cx-3 (330-375 (340) wide); anterior venter (195-235 (227.5) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.90-2.32 (2.25); anterior venter/genital field length 1.37-1.66 (1.54); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.56-1.86 (1.78); anterior venter/medial suture 3.25-3.64 (3.64).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( raptoroides ) refers to the long, thin pedipalp tibia and long genual/femoral tubercles, which are similar to members of the Raptor Group (rapio, L. to seize; -oides, G. resembling).

Distribution.

Southeastern, Arizona and New Mexico (Figure 214).

Remarks.

Our analyses were unable to confidently place Torrenticola raptoroides phylogenetically. Both analyses place this species at the base of the Raptor Complex, but this relationship was not well-supported. Because of this ambiguity, we refrain from placing this species in a species complex. Furthermore, because of the unique morphology, we are also unable to place this species within an identification group.

All specimens are less than 1% different in COI sequence and are greater than 15% different from sister species. This species hypothesis is supported by biogeography, low COI divergence within the species (0-2%) and high divergence between species (3-15%), and by the morphological characters outlined in the diagnosis.