Torrenticola solisorta 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 solisorta Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, Arkansas, Polk County, East Saline Creek, beside Forest Road 38, north of Shady Lake Recreation Area, 30 Jul 2011, by IM Smith, IMS 110041, DNA 1300.

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 6 ♂): Arkansas, USA: 2 ♂ from Montgomery County, Gaston, South Fork Ouachita River, 29 Jul 2011, by IM Smith, IMS110040 • 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Montgomery County, Ouachita National Forest, South Fork Ouachita River, 29 Jul 2011, by AJ Radwell, & B Crump, AJR110302 • 4 ♀ and 3 ♂ from Polk County, East Saline Creek, beside Forest Road 38, north of Shady Lake Recreation Area, 30 Jul 2011, by IM Smith, IMS 110041.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and most paratypes (2 ♀; 4 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (2 ♀; 2 ♂) deposited in ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola solisorta are similar to other members of the Nigroalba Group ( T. flangipalpa , T. nigroalba , and T. dentirostra ) in being small, slightly elongate, having purple dorsal coloration restricted posteriorly, and having distinct yet poorly-defined hind coxal margins. T. solisorta can be differentiated from T. flangipalpa by having tuberculate pedipalp femoral extension (flange-like and anteriorly-directed in T. flangipalpa ); a shorter anterior venter (192-225 in T. solisorta , 235-265 in T. flangipalpa ); and more elongate pedipalp tibia (length/ width ♀ = 5.67-5.82 in T. solisorta , 4.79-5.00 in T. flangipalpa ; ♂ = 5.08-5.17 in T. solisorta , 4.40-4.86 in T. flangipalpa ). T. solisorta can be differentiated from T. dentirostra by having a smooth rostrum ( T. dentirostra has a dentate bump midway on the dorsal edge of the rostrum) and more elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width ♀ = 5.6-5.9 in T. solisorta , 4.5-5.0 in T. dentirostra ; ♂ = 5.0-5.2 in T. solisorta , 4.5-4.7 in T. dentirostra ). T. solisorta can be differentiated from T. nigroalba by having orangish coloration immediately anterior to the purple dorsal coloration. Additionally, female T. solisorta can be differentiated from female T. nigroalba by having a slightly shorter dorsum (475-500 in T. solisorta , 500-530 in T. nigroalba ); a thicker gnathosomal bay (length/width = 1.3-1.5 in T. solisorta , 1.25-1.55 in T. nigroalba ); and a slightly thinner subcapitulum (3.14-3.30 in T. solisorta , 3.00-3.14 in T. nigroalba ). Male T. solisorta also can be differentiated from T. nigroalba by anterior venter/medial suture (2.87-3.26 in T. solisorta , 2.54-2.77 in T. nigroalba ) and having a wider dorsum (305-320 in T. solisorta , 290-300 in T. nigroalba ). Other Torrenticola with purple dorsal coloration restricted posteriorly can be confused with T. solisorta , such as T. tahoei and T. oregonensis . Both of these species are larger (dorsum length ♀ = 475-500 in T. solisorta , 600-840 in others; ♂ = 425-460 in T. solisorta , 560-820 in others) and distributed in the west ( T. solisorta is known only from the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas).

Description.

Female (Figure 247) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (475-500 (500) long; 325-360 (350) wide) ovoid with bluish-purple to purple coloration restricted posteriorly with orange immediately anterior and fading anteriorly. Anterio-medial platelets (102.5-112.5 (112.5) long; 42.5-46.25 (45) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (138.75-150 (147.5) long; 47.5-50 (47.5) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 220-240 (240)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.38-1.46 (1.43); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.45-1.50 (1.46); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.22-2.53 (2.50); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.78-3.16 (3.11); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.31-1.43 (1.31).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (280-300 (300) long (ventral); 199-217 (217) long (dorsal); 85-92.5 (92.5) tall) elongate and colorless. Rostrum (105-110 (110) long; 35-37.5 (36.25) wide). Chelicerae (256-281 (278) long) with curved fangs (34-44 (43) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.14-3.29 (3.24); rostrum length/width 2.87-3.03 (3.03). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibiae) with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua ending broadly and dentate. Palpomeres: trochanter (27.5-30 (30) long); femur (86.25-93.75 (93.75) long); genu (52.5-55 (55) long); tibia (80-85 (85) long; 13.75-15 (15) wide); tarsus (12.5-15 (12.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.64-1.70 (1.70); tibia/femur 0.91-0.99 (0.91); tibia length/width 5.67-5.82 (5.67).

Venter - (580-640 (630) long; 356-439 (380) wide) with bluish-purple or purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (97.5-110 (110) long; 70-77.5 (77.5) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (47.5-50 (47.5) long). Genital plates (132.5-140 (140) long; 117.5-122.5 (122.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (228-249 (249) long (total); 88-121 (121) long (medial)); Cx-3 (236.5-259.75 (252) wide); anterior venter (192.5-207.5 (205) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.30-1.50 (1.42); anterior venter/genital field length 1.45-1.54 (1.46); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.60-1.77 (1.67); anterior venter/medial suture 3.85-4.37 (4.32).

Male (Figure 248) (n = 6) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (425-460 (435) long; 305-320 (305) wide) ovoid with bluish-purple to purple coloration restricted posteriorly with orange immediately anterior and fading anteriorly. Anterio-medial platelets (97.5-105 (100) long; 40-45 (42.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (130-145 (145) long; 45-50 (45) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 205-220 (215)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.37-1.48 (1.43); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.42-1.51 (1.42); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.33-2.44 (2.35); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.85-3.22 (3.22); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.32-1.45 (1.45).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (252.5-265 (255) long (ventral); 181-196 (190) long (dorsal); 80-87.5 (80) tall) elongate and colorless. Rostrum (92.5-100 (100) long; 32.5-35 (35) wide). Chelicerae (240-246 (240) long) with curved fangs (33-45 (45) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.97-3.19 (3.19); rostrum length/width 2.81-2.92 (2.86). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibiae) with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua ending broadly and dentate. Palpomeres: trochanter (27.5-30 (27.5) long); femur (80-82.5 (80) long); genu (48.75-51.25 (48.75) long); tibia (77.5-82.5 (77.5) long; 15-16.25 (15) wide); tarsus (12.5-15 (12.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.59-1.65 (1.64); tibia/femur 0.94-1.00 (0.97); tibia length/width 5.08-5.17 (5.17).

Venter - (520-570 (545) long; 335-382 (335) wide) with bluish-purple or purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (85-107.5 (102.5) long; 60-72.5 (67.5) wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (65-77.5 (75) long). Genital plates (105-115 (105) long; 90-95 (92.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (208-231 (230) long (total); 91-130 (130) long (medial)); Cx-3 (240-281 (240) wide); anterior venter (210-225 (215) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.17-1.52 (1.52); anterior venter/genital field length 1.87-2.10 (2.05); anterior venter length/genital field width 2.27-2.50 (2.32); anterior venter/medial suture 2.87-3.26 (2.87).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( solisorta ) refers to the dorsal coloration of this species, which is the easiest way to differentiate it from its sister species ( T. nigroalba ). If one imagines the posterior purple color as the landscape and horizon, then the orangish coloration resembles the sun beginning to rise (solis ortus, L. sunrise).

Distribution.

Ouachita Mountains (Figure 246).

Remarks.

Torrenticola solisorta groups with other members of the Raptor Complex with high support in all analyses and specimens are less than 1% different in COI sequence from each other. In all analyses, T. solisorta groups with two other morphologically similar species: T. flangipalpa and T. nigroalba . Torrenticola solisorta is greater than 4% different in COI from its sister species ( T. nigroalba ). That clade of three species corresponds to an identification group, the Nigroalba Group, the members of which are easily differentiated by their size, coloration, long medial suture in females, and overall appearance.

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.